US Open 2017: Old guns Roger Federer, Venus Williams favourites as we look ahead to quarterfinals

Roger Federer and Venus Williams may be among the oldest players on the tour but they remain favourites to scoop US Open titles this year.

By Mahim Gupta

New Delhi: We are finally in the business end of the US Open as starting on Tuesday, we will have the quarterfinals. It is interesting to look at the similarities in the men’s and women’s draw at the Open.

Firstly, it is the old guns that are the favourites in both the draws. So in the mens’s singles, you have 36-year-old Roger Federer and in the women’ singles, it is 37-year-old Venus Williams.

Secondly, both the title favourites have a huge challenge to overcome in the quarterfinal itself. Let us break down the men’s section first. Now there are only three Major winners remaining in the draw.

Apart from Federer (five-time US Open winner), there is Rafael Nadal (two-time US Open champion) and Juan Martin del Potro (one-time US Open champion).

Federer is slated to take on Del Potro in the quarters and the winner of that match will take on Nadal in the semis if the Spaniard wins his last-eight clash.

It is fair to say that unless there is the upset of the decade, the winner of the Open will come from these former champions. Federer will be our pick considering not just his past record in New York, but also some great form as highlighted by the Australian Open crown earlier this year.

Over in the women’s singles, there are only two Major winners remaining in the draw. Apart from Venus (two-time US Open winner), there is Petra Kvitova, who is yet to triumph in New York.

Now these two players will play in the quarterfinal and since it is safe to go with the pedigree and the past US Open record, it is hard to go past seven-time Major winner Venus as far as the tag of title favourite is concerned. Kvitova, a two-time Major champion, remains the biggest challenger for Venus in the tournament.