The identity of the of the 2017 US Open Women's Champion has yet to be decided, but one thing already known for certain is that it will be a brand new major champion.  Sloane Stephens has surprised everyone, including herself, with her improbable run to the final here.  Her opponent, Madison Keys, may be just as surprised with her own success.  After struggling to come back following wrist surgery, the younger American has found her form in a big way this summer.  It has been a fantastic journey for both, and for one them, it will end in a dream come true.

When looking strictly at their games, the woman most likely to realize her dream is Madison Keys.  She is arguably the biggest ball-striker on tour.  She is known for her powerful serve and forehand, but her backhand, the stroke that was impacted by her wrist injury, has also been firing on all cylinders of late.  She has been doing a great job playing first-strike tennis to keep the points short, and she can seemingly strike winners at will, even on the run.  The barrage of winners that she has been able to produce in her last couple of matches has essentially relegated her opponents to the role of spectator, putting this match more on her racket than her compatriot's.

Despite the notable weaponry that Keys brings to the table, however, Stephens should hardly be counted out in this contest.  Her remarkable retrieving ability was on full display against Venus Williams in her semifinal victory, and she is sure to test the consistency and patience of Keys, unlike anyone the fifteenth seed has faced to this point.  And while Stephens is more of a defensive-minded competitor, she is plenty capable of getting good pop on her own ground strokes and serve, and she has shown a willingness to inject greater pace on her shots when she needs it most.  It has been a lethal combination of defense mixed with offense that has gotten her this far, and it could be enough to take her to the title.

Of course, their respective games are just one piece of the puzzle.  The most pivotal factor in determining the outcome is going to come down to who is really ready to mentally seize this moment.  Here, it is anyone's guess.  On one hand, Stephens has won their only meeting, which came two years ago in Miami, and she has the luxury of being the underdog.  Though she did look the tighter of the pair in their semifinals, she was also was facing Venus Williams.  To have overcome that champion in such a tight third set is bound to have only increased her confidence.  Couple that with what can only be described as the unimaginable quick success she has enjoyed since returning earlier this summer following eleven months off, and she may also feel it is destiny that she completes the improbable journey with a title here.

Though not quite as improbable, Keys must be equal parts stunned and pleased with her run in New York.  As noted, she had struggled to find her top form following her own stint with injury and did not find her best tennis until this summer.  She will be dealing with the double-edged sword that comes with knowing the match is on her racket.  That can bring pressure and frustration if her shots are not landing in, but on the other hand, she knows she can take this match right out of Stephens's hands.  She looked relaxed in her semifinal against Coco Vandeweghe, and perhaps much like that match could take comfort from the fact that she knows Stephens will likely be battling the same nerves and doubts as her in this final.  If she can come at it from that angle, then she just should believe that her own superior game will allow her to be master of her own fate and earn this title.

All told, this should be a thrilling contest between two of the stars of the next generation of American tennis.  Both have the skills to become a champion, so it is going to come down to who has the mindset of one as well.  Keys is the one in the enviable position of being better able to determine that outcome and so should be considered the favorite.  Even so, do not count out Stephens.  She has pleasantly surprised all summer long and could have yet another surprise victory up her sleeve.