Rafael Nadal Or Roger Federer? Who Will Win The 2017 US Open?

The top contenders at the U.S. Open have been dropping like flies. Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori all withdrew from the Grand Slam, while No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev and No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have already been bounced before the third round.

The lack of top players means an opening for Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have won all three of the Grand Slams in 2017. Federer has 7/4 odds of winning, followed by Nadal at 9/4 odds, according to Ladbrokes. Federer and Nadal, who met in the Australian Open final, could meet in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.

Nadal may have a relatively easy time reaching the quarterfinals. He will face No. 121 Taro Daniel on Thursday night, and the rest of his bracket lacks any notable players, with Richard Gasquet and Fabio Fognini already eliminated.

Nadal appears to have an edge on Federer. The Spaniard has played just five matches since Wimbledon and looked to be in top shape against Dusan Lajovic, defeating the Serb in straight sets in the first round.

Federer, who needed five sets to defeat American Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday, faces Russian Mikhail Youzhny on Thursday afternoon. The Swiss superstar may have a tougher path than Nadal, with Feliciano Lopez still alive in his bracket. But Lopez, 35, has only once reached the quarterfinals in New York.

Earlier this month, Federer reached the final at the Canadian Open in Montreal, losing to Zverev in straight sets. The last time Federer won the U.S. Open was in 2008.

Croatian Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, has the third-best odds at 6/1, followed by Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov at 16/1.

Americans have performed well, thus far, with John Isner and Sam Querrey still in the hunt. Isner and Querrey are both listed at 20/1.