The U.S. Open is right around the corner, as the tennis world plays through the U.S. Open Series this week and next. This week, the tennis tour stops in both Toronto and Montreal for the Rogers Cup, also known as Coupe Rogers.

Many of the top talents in tennis play in the prestigious Canadian tournament -- players such as Rafael Nadal, Simona Halep and of course Serena Williams. Many top talents use the tournament as a practice event (despite its level of importance to both the ATP and WTA) in preparation for the final major of the season, which may help give tennis bettors an outlook when placing wagers on the U.S. Open itself.

Serena's Success in Canada Carries Over

Williams is entered in this year's Rogers Cup, an event she has been successful at over the course of her career. The future Hall-of-Famer has reached four Rogers Cup finals, winning three total, most recently in 2013. Her odds to win this year's tournament in the "Great North" are currently set at +900 which is the fourth-highest behind Ashleigh Barty (+400), Simona Halep (+450) and Naomi Osaka (+800), who defeated Serena in last year's chaotic U.S. Open final.

Despite having the fourth-best odds to win in Toronto, Williams is still the favorite to win in New York with odds set at +500. How she does in Toronto, though, may dictate how bettors approach the final major of the season and whether to back one of the sport's all-time greats.

The last Rogers Cup Williams won, 2013, was the same year she won her second straight U.S. Open final. As a matter of fact, whenever she reaches the Rogers Cup final she also finds herself in the U.S. Open final on the same year. Granted, Williams has also won U.S. Opens in years when she did not reach a Rogers Cup final. However, each time Williams has won or come close to winning the Rogers Cup, she has gotten to the U.S. Open final the very same year.

Rogers Cup Reflective?

The first occurred in 2001 when Serena Williams won her first-ever Rogers Cup tournament. She defeated Jennifer Capriati in three sets to claim the Coupe Rogers trophy. Just a few weeks later Serena found herself in the U.S. Open final playing against none other than her sister Venus Williams. Serena lost that match in two sets (only winning six games total), but she saw an appearance in the championship match nonetheless.

It wasn't for another decade until Serena won her next Rogers Cup trophy, defeating Sam Stosur in 2011. Williams then reached the U.S. Open final, as she did in 2001 when she reached the Rogers Cup final. The result? Ironically, she lost in two sets to the very person she beat in Canada, Stosur.

In 2013, Serena won her third Rogers Cup trophy and wouldn't you know, she reached and won the U.S. Open on the same year. Serena has gone 1-2 in U.S. Open finals in the same year she has reached a Rogers Cup final. Is this a trend to consider when betting on the U.S. Open this year? Maybe. As history has shown, however, whenever Serena Williams goes far in the Rogers Cup she tends to go far in the U.S. Open as well.

Odds for the U.S. Open winner are currently available but more odds will drop as the tournament nears. Perhaps waiting for runner-up odds to release would be more beneficial to some, as Serena Williams' play in Canada may very well dictate how you should bet the prestigious major event held in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rogers Cup 2019 Odds