This year's U.S. Open won't feel the same without Roger Federer.The five-time Open champion, who lost to Marin Cilic in last year's final, will sit out the major for the first time since 1998 after undergoing knee surgery last month. Although Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray remain the favorites to triumph in New York, Federer's absence could create an opening for other competitors who are looking to infiltrate the men's exclusive top tier.Meanwhile, Serena Williams continues her quest for Grand Slam title No. 23, which would set a new record for majors won in the Open Era. She won't have to deal with familiar foe Victoria Azarenka, who is away from tennis because of her pregnancy.Even without those two top players, the 2016 U.S. Open will showcase plenty of talent in Flushing, Queens. Here's a rundown of the event's TV schedule. We'll also make some predictions about the year's final major, which starts Monday.PredictionsSerena Williams Breaks Grand Slam RecordFor someone who has made the finals in all three 2016 majors and will chase history, Williams isn't entering New York with her usual buzz.A heavy favorite to win gold for the United States in the 2016 Summer Olympics, she instead suffered a third-round upset to Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in straight sets. Serena and her sister Venus also lost in the first round of doubles play, and she has not competed since due to an injured shoulder.While she was out,Angelique Kerber nearly ended Williams' 183-week reign as the No. 1 player in the world. Kerber ultimately squandered the opportunity by losing toKarolina Pliskova in theWestern and Southern Open final.After the defeat, Kerber did not lament staying stuck at No. 2,per theAssociated Press' Joe Kay.Everybodys talking about that, Kerber said. If someday it happens, it happens, but I will not be making too much pressure on this. Ive had such a great year so far, and its not over yet.As the top-ranked star looks to break Steffi Graf's career title crown, Serena will also snap Graf's record of 186 weeks slotted atop the world leaderboard. Also seeded first in the U.S. Open, Serena's streak of three consecutive victories ended when Roberta Vinci stunned her in last year's semifinals.She has played only in Rio de Janeiro since winning Wimbledon in July and was far from her dominant self on the worldwide stage. The 34-year-old can't cream everyone forever, so it's possible her time is running out.Then again, the overwhelming body of work speaks much louder than one off tournament and a nagging shoulder issue. Furthermore, Kerber hasn't enjoyed any Open success, only making it past the quarterfinals five years ago.Nobody has made a successful career betting against Williams, so look for her to make history with her 23rd major and sixth U.S. Open title. Djokovic Again Bests MurrayLike Williams, Djokovic hasn't competed since a disappointing Rio run. The top-ranked men's player got booted in the opening round by Juan Martin del Potro and sat out the Western and Southern Open due to a sore wrist."I have a recurring injury that has taken its toll on my body due to a very busy and active schedule this year," Djokovic said in a statement, per BBC.com."I have played many matches and I have to take some rest in order to heal."Many rounds after Djokovic's Olympic exit, Murray defeated Del Potro in the gold-medal match. Also winning the Aegon Championships and Wimbledon, Murray entered the Western and Southern Open final with 22 consecutive matches won before falling to Cilic.As noted by Josh Meiseles of ATP World Tour, the second-ranked star usually triumphs when circumventing the one man above him:That outcome played out in both the French Open and Australian Open, where Djokovic won both final matchups over Murray. Another meeting is on the horizon.Djokovic and Murray will enter the U.S. Open ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively. The latter has soared during the former's rough patch, but all the momentum in the world shouldn't make Murray the favorite in a head-to-head clash. Djokovic holds a 24-10 advantageover Murray. If someone else can do his dirty work, Murray is poisedto capture his second Open title. For that to happen, Djokovic would need to fall short of the final round for the second time in six years. Kei Nishikori, who ousted him in the 2014 semifinals, frequents the other side of the bracket.The Serbian star had won four straight Grand Slams and made six consecutive finals before an early Wimbledon loss started two atypically poor months. Let's again trust the longer track record and pick the 12-time champion to survive a close encounter against a rolling Murray in the final.
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