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Key information for the 2015 US Open

Bernard Tomic has missed out on qualifying for the Australian Open. (AAP Image/Mark Dadswell)
Roar Guru
28th August, 2015
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The US Open is the final Grand Slam of 2015, and starts on Monday night at Flushing Meadows in New York.

Serena Williams, who won the event last year, is looking to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1988 to complete the year Grand Slam.

Marin Cilic is after back-to-back titles in the men, winning his first Grand Slam in New York last year.

Here is all you need to know about this huge fortnight of tennis.

Key information
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York
Players in the draw: 128
Top seeds: Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams
Most wins at US Open: Men – Richard Sears, Bill Lamed and Bill Tilden 7; Women – Molla Bjurstedt Mallory 8
Last year’s winners: Marin Cilic and Serena Williams

TV schedule
For the first time in Australian television history, there will be a dedicated, 24-hour channel of the US Open, with Fox Sports set to use channel 505 exclusively for the event.

When the action is live, up to four courts will be available on the red button. The best matches will also be replayed during the day.

It all starts on Monday at 1am AEST.

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Here at The Roar we will provide live scores and blogs of matches involving Australians and the stars of the game, ensuring you won’t miss a thing if you don’t have pay television.

How will the Australians go?
For the first time this millennium, up to 14 Australians could play in the main draw.

Wins by Matt Ebden and John-Patrick Smith in the final round of qualifying would make it the most Aussies in the main draw since 1997, when 14 competed and Patrick Rafter won his first Grand Slam title.

Unfortunately another Aussie taking the title looks unlikely this year, with some players receiving tough draws.

Nick Kyrgios faces third seed Andy Murray in the opening round.

The Aussie has faced the Scot three times in his career – twice at Grand Slam level – for no wins. Given his recent off-court dramas and injury concerns, it’s unlikely Kyrgios will make it past Murray.

Kyrgios isn’t the only player to draw a seed, with Thanasi Kokkinakis up against 12th seed Richard Gasquet.

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Kokkinakis lost to Gasquet last week at the Cincinnati Masters, and will struggle to progress to Round 2.

Others drew well and have winnable matches.

John Millman, who has had a fantastic month, takes on Sergiy Stakhovsky. Milman won the pair’s only other match, in Munich in 2013, and could face Gael Monfils in the second round.

James Duckworth faces rising Korean star Hyeon Chung, and if he plays to his potential the New South Welshman can beat Chung.

It is a similar story for Sam Groth who faces Alexandr Dolgopolov. Despite losing to him at Wimbledon in 2013, Groth has the form to defeat the Ukrainian if he serves well.

There could be an all-Aussie battle in the second round, with Bernard Tomic set to face Lleyton Hewitt if both win their first-up matches.

Tomic, the 24th seed, faces Damir Dzumhur in the first round.

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Hewitt, who won the Australian wildcard, is playing his last US Open and starts against Aleksandr Nedovyesov, who he defeated at the recent Davis Cup quarter-final.

A second round match-up would be a dream for Australian tennis – we’ve waited for this since Tomic started his career.

On the women’s side, all hopes fall on 2011 champion Sam Stosur, who begins her campaign against Timea Babos.

While Stosur lost to Babos in Cincinnati last week, the 22nd seed has a chance to go far with a likely third round meeting with Sara Errani. Following that Stosur could face either Caroline Wozniacki or Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round.

Four other Aussies are involved in the women’s side of the draw.

Jarmila Gajdosova faces a tough test against Italian Flavia Pennetta. The Italian leads 2-1 head-to-head, but Gajdosova won their last meeting, in Wuhan in 2014.

Casey Dellacqua, who made the fourth round last year, faces a qualifier who will be revealed over the weekend.

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Ajla Tomljanovic faces Karin Knapp in the opening round, with the Croatian-born Australian losing the only meeting between the two, in Hobart earlier this year.

Daria Gavrilova faces the toughest test of the Aussies, with a first-round meeting against Maria Sharapova. It’s not an impossible match though, with Gavrilova beating Sharapova in Miami this year and the Russian being under an injury cloud.

Like Kyrgios in the men’s event, the draw could open up if she wins.

Predictions
The women’s draw looks to be the Serena Williams show once again. When she plays at her best no one can beat her, and she should complete the year Grand Slam and move level with Graf at 22 titles.

However this could be one of the most open men’s draws in years, with question marks over each of the top-four contenders.

The usual contenders are there, with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray right in the hunt to add another US Open title. You also can’t rule out last year’s finalists, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic, although will miss the final as they are due to meet in the fourth round.

After a long season it could also be a breakout tournament for a John Isner, Milos Raonic, or Kevin Anderson.

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My tip though is Stan Wawrinka.

He started to show form in Cincinnati, after retiring with a back injury against Nick Kyrgios, and has form at the US Open, making the semis in 2013 and the quarters last year.

If the Swiss number 2 doesn’t win then Djokovic should win just his second US Open crown.

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