Nobody thought going into the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, two players over 30 would be the favorites for the title.
Roger Federer and Serena Williams have been there and done that. Both are considered to be two of the greatest players ever to play the game. Federer is coming off an incredible season, where he won Wimbledon for the seventh time in his career; he will be going for a sixth U.S. Open crown at Flushing Meadows.
The Swiss is arguably the greatest player ever to play the game of tennis, his artistry and the ability to stay injury-free unparalleled. There is no Rafael Nadal for Federer to battle, the man he has faced more times than he can count in Grand Slam finals; he will have, however, defending champion Novak Djokovic and Olympic champion Andy Murray to contend with.
Federer, 31, could face Murray, the man he beat in the Wimbledon final, but lost to in the Olympic final on the same centre court, in the semis, with Djokovic most likely waiting in the final. Those matches depend on the day, with all three capable of beating each other when at their best, or if their opponents let their guards down, even for a small time.
It should be a straight fight between the three for the title, but the U.S. Open is prone to throw in a few surprises, and none will be a bigger threat than the big-serving Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, a former winner here.
In the women's draw it is not so cut and dry, if you take Williams out of the equation that is. If the younger of the two Williams sisters, shows anywhere near the kind of form she showed at Wimbledon and the Olympics, there will be no stopping the 30-year-old American. The likes of Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova and defending champ Sam Stosur will try their best to stop the Serena juggernaut, but they will know very well, if Williams is at her best in New York, there will be only one winner.
Having said that, however, one cannot discount elder sister Venus either. The American has come back remarkably after being diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome, and could be the dark horse in the women's draw.
Serena, can be her own worst enemy, shown amply in 2009 when she lost her cool towards a line judge in the semi-final against Kim Clijsters. However, the American, who is looking for her first U.S. Open title since 2008, is keeping her temper in check this time around. "I don't feel pressure," Serena said. "My dad said the only pressure you have is the pressure you put on yourself, so I don't really feel any pressure or anything.
"I don't put any pressure on myself. If I win, that would be great. If I lose, I realise I'm going to go home and be devastated. But there's always tomorrow."
There is also an interesting sub-plot in the women's draw with Clijsters, the winner here in 2009 and 2010, ready to bid goodbye to the game at the end of this Grand Slam. "Obviously this place is magical for me," Clijsters said. "I have had so many beautiful memories.
"I have always enjoyed being around the other players and having a good relationship with them. There are a lot of girls I have stayed in touch with over the years, even when I retired in the past and had Jada and got married."
It would be a fitting ending for one of the most likeable players in the game, if Clijsters were to bow out with her fourth U.S. Open title.
