Most of the talk concerning the women at the US Open begins and ends with Serena Williams.  A few others, like Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, and Venus Williams have also earned some buzz, but there is at least one dangerous floater out there who could upset the main theme.  Her name is Angelique Kerber, and she will be keen to continue her run as a potentially dangerous floater when she takes on Karin Knapp in the second round.

Of course, Kerber will be aware that Knapp herself presents a tricky challenge.  Currently ranked No. 34, the Italian barely missed earning a seed for this event.  She reached the third round of the US Open two years ago and is most at home on the hard courts.  In addition to that, she has had a fairly solid season.  Knapp picked up the title in Nürnberg earlier in the spring, and she played well in the weeks leading into the US Open, as evidenced by her run to the finals of Bad Gastein, semifinal showing in Baku, and a round of 16 finish at Cincinnati.

While Knapp has had a respectable season, however, Kerber's has been better.  Previously ranked as high as No. 5, the German is once again knocking on the door of the top 10 thanks to stellar play that has seen her win the titles in Charleston, Stuttgart, Birmingham, and Stanford.  She has collected some impressive match victories on those runs and will no doubt be keen to repeat those feats in New York.

When analyzing their games, it is Kerber who looks like she should get through and give herself the opportunity to cause an upset or two going forward.  Both women prefer to hang on the baseline, and Knapp arguably has a little more firepower.  The Italian especially loves to dictate with her forehand and will not shy away from trading that groundstroke with the German.  Unfortunately for Knapp, her advantages in these areas is unlikely to be much of a difference-maker.  Kerber has a reliable forehand, and as a lefty, should enjoy some perks on serve.  She is the obvious better mover of the two, and when on her game, her backhand is far superior to Knapp's.  Perhaps most importantly, the German is the more consistent of the pair, which should pay off over the duration of the match.

Kerber's game is not the only thing that should see her through this encounter either.  She also enjoys a mental edge.  Although both of their previous meetings have gone to a third set, it is the 11th seed who has come out on top on both occasions.  Additionally, Kerber has far more big-match experience at this level.  She has booked multiple appearances in the second week of majors throughout her career.  She has been to the second week of the US Open in three of the last four years, including a semifinal finish in 2011.  Finally, with the four prestigious titles she scooped up this season, she has to be extremely confident.

All in all, this is a match that Kerber should win.  She has the better game, more experience, and more reason to believe in her chances.  But what should be and what actually is are often two different things, as this US Open has already proven.  If Knapp can play her best and hang with Kerber straight out of the gates, Kerber might get frustrated and ultimately fall victim to the upset.  If not, though, expect it to be business as usual for the German, as she aims to move one step closer to yet another appearance in the second week of the year's last major.

In tennis, there are certain players that nobody, including the most decorated of legends, wants to play.  John Isner is one of those players.  He always represents a potential challenge to any opponent, which is why fans and analysts often look to see where he falls in a draw and the upsets that he might cause.  But for all that Isner is often playing the role of dangerous floater, he also has those opponents who have made life difficult for him in the past.  Mikhail Youzhny is one such opponent, and that is whom he will face for a place in the third round.

Based solely on their respective 2015 seasons, Isner should be the heavy favorite in this match.  He is ranked No. 13 to Youzhny's No. 93.  The American has enjoyed plenty of success throughout the course of the year, including a semifinal showing in Miami and a quarterfinal finish in Madrid.  He has been particularly impressive this summer, over the course of which he won his third successive title in Atlanta, made the final of Washington DC, and reached the quarterfinals of Montréal.  Contrast that with Youzhny, who has a losing record for the season, with only eight wins under his belt coming into New York.  Not surprisingly, he has lost a number of opening matches and has been relegated to playing the qualifying tournaments at many events.  

For all that Isner has had far more to write home about in 2015, though, Youzhny will not be short on belief when he takes to the court against the American.  It has been five years since their last meeting, but Youzhny has won on the two occasions that they have met, including the last one that occurred at the US Open.  He has also been ranked as high as No. 8, so he has already shown himself capable of playing top-flight tennis, even if he cannot call on that level with regularity now.  Additionally, he has gone deeper at the majors than the 13th seed, including two semifinal appearances at this major.  None of this is to say that Isner will be doubtful of his own odds of advancing at the Russian's expense.  He has been to the quarterfinals of the US Open, and as previously mentioned, has enjoyed far more success of late.  Also, with the summer that he has had, he ought to be brimming with confidence.

If Isner is confident, his game should be in full flow.  It is no secret what he brings to the court.  His game is centered around his big serve, which he backs up with his forehand.  If he has a good serving day, Isner can be nearly impossible to break, especially for Youzhny, who utilizes a one-handed backhand to deal with those high-kicking serves.  Isner also boasts more power in all facets of his game, theoretically putting him in the more favorable position to control the rallies.  But Youzhny will not sweat the fact that he comes in second in terms of power, for what he lacks in that department he makes up for with his variety and touch.  The Russian has a more versatile backhand, and his slice from that wing can make life difficult for the towering Isner.  Youzhny also moves around the court better, is more adept at moving the ball around the court, and is more apt to hold up under the tough, hot conditions, especially after seeing Isner's struggles in his opening loss in Cincinnati.

If Isner is sufficiently healthy, he is in a prime position to get his first win over the Russian.  He will have the home crowd support, and based on his results this season, he is clearly producing the superior brand of tennis.  But do not discount Youzhny's chances.  He is a fierce competitor capable of turning back the clock to play some scintillating tennis.  He also has ample experience and will not be intimidated by the situation.  If he is able to call on his best, this could evolve into an intriguing encounter with the victor a man who has to be watched in the rounds to come.