Roger Federer tipped as odds-on favourite to win 2017 US Open

Roger Federer, recently described as The Renaissance Man for becoming the oldest man to triumph on the hallowed grass courts of Wimbledon, is already favoured to prevail at the forthcoming US Open. On Sunday, Federer re-wrote the history books by capturing a record eighth Wimbledon title and 19th overall Grand Slam.

At the start of the year, Federer was viewed as the underdog to win Grand Slam titles against Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and the returning Rafael Nadal. Prior to his victory at the 2017 Australian Open, Federer hadn't won a major title since the 2012 Wimbledon. Fast forward to July and Federer stands tall with a 31-2 win-loss record bolstered by triumphs at Melbourne Park, Indian Wells, Key Biscayne and Hall. As suggested by some analysts, a 35-year-old Federer's feats in 2017 overshadow all his previous achievements.

Federer won five consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows between 2004 and 2008. Since then, the US Open hasn't been dominated by just one player. While Rafael Nadal (2010, 2013) and Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015) have prevailed twice, Juan Martín del Potro, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka have also enjoyed success at the hard courts of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

2017 US Open: Federer, Nadal are odds-on favourites

According to Odds Checker, Federer is currently 3/1 odds-on favourite to win his sixth US Open title. Nadal, also in the middle of a career renaissance, opens as the second favourite at 9/2. Djokovic (11/2), Murray (11/2) and Wawrinka, the winner of last year’s US Open, round off the top-5 favourites.

Sky Sports reckons that Federer and Nadal should enter the 2017 US Open as favourites due to the ongoing fitness issues of Murray and Djokovic. "If Federer and Nadal remain fit, they will start as favourites for the US Open which gets underway in six weeks' time especially with question marks over the fitness of Andy Murray (hip) and Novak Djokovic (shoulder)."

After surpassing childhood idol Peter Sampras as the most dominant champion in Wimbledon history, Federer revealed that eight titles at SW19 was never on his bucket list. “Winning eight is not something you can ever aim for, in my opinion. If you do, I don’t know, you must have so much talent and parents and the coaches that push you from the age of 3 on, who think of you like a project. I was not that kid. I was just really a normal guy growing up in Basel, hoping to make a career on the tennis tour.”

Roger Federer, who turns 36 on Aug. 8, is still not the oldest male player to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era. Australia's Ken Rosewall still holds that honour. Rosewall, at the age of 37 years and two months, won the 1972 Australian Open title. For Federer to surpass the record, he would have to win the 2019 Australian Open. At this stage, could anybody count him out?