Chris Evert has backed world number one Simona Halep to win the US Open, although she believes there is a group of up to 15 potential champions.

Top seed Halep heads to Flushing Meadows looking for her second grand slam title, having finally ended her wait for a major triumph at the French Open earlier this year.

The Romanian's best performance in New York saw her reach the semi-finals in 2015, but six-time champion Evert sees her leading a packed field on this occasion.

"I'm slightly favouring Simona Halep, because she's solid and she's had a great year," said Evert, speaking courtesy of the WTA. "I think she's a great hard court player. And she has the confidence now, the belief now.

"But I also don't rule out Serena [Williams] or Sloane Stephens or Angelique Kerber. I think it's open to anywhere [up to] 10 or 15 players."

The men's draw is slightly more straightforward in Evert's eyes, although she believes Rafael Nadal will be run close by fellow heavyweights Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

"I would just throw a coin up for all three of those guys, Roger, Rafa, Djokovic," she said. "Obviously one of those three, I think, is going to come out the winner.

"I'm happy to see Novak playing better, because I think he's had a rough year, both personally and professionally. He's had injuries, surgeries and I think he lost a little bit of motivation emotionally.

"It's good to see him coming back and starting to regain the form that he had when he was number one.

"Roger is Roger - he's capable of anything. And Nadal is a grinder. He's the hardest worker out there. It would be hard to pick a winner between those three, because they are three of the greatest players that ever lived. They have set a high standard for everybody.

"But I think one of those definitely will come out and, if I were to favour somebody, I would slightly favour Nadal."