There is no dominant force in the women’s game heading into the fourth and final Grand Slam of the tennis season, the U.S. Open. Aryna Sabalenka is the defending champion, top seed, and title favorite per the oddsmakers, but the Belarusian has been in a slump. Sabalenka has failed to reach even the quarterfinals at any of her last three tournaments and has not advanced a final since winning the WTA Miami 1000 in March. Elena Rybakina is playing well and can clinch the No. 1 ranking with a semifinal result at Flushing Meadows, but she suffered an ankle injury in Cincinnati and is therefore a question mark for the U.S. Open.
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are also among the favorites, but it’s clear that this major title is pretty much up for grabs.
Alexandra Eala leads the way in U.S. Open betting
One contender worth noting is crowd favorite Alexandra Eala, who receives incredible crowd support everywhere she plays. The 21-year-old Filipino has been treating her fans to some impressive performances this summer, too. She took down Swiatek at Wimbledon to book a fourth-round spot, won the Washington, D.C. title, and reached the round of 16 in Toronto.
As such, it’s no surprise that Eala is inspiring plenty of bets on the U.S. Open outright market. According to Betway, the left-hander is bringing in 30 percent of futures bets — more than any other woman in the field of 128 players. Eala is followed by Gauff (17 percent), Swiatek (11 percent), Sabalenka (six percent), and Rybakina (six percent).
“Although the big names of Sabalenka, Swiatek and Rybakina remain at the head of the market, Alexandra Eala is by far the best-backed player going into the women’s singles at Flushing Meadows,” said Betway spokesperson Lewis Knowles. “Eala is clearly seen as a dark horse in the women’s draw, and with Coco Gauff the next best-backed player, punters are clearly looking for value away from the big names at the head of the betting.”
Eala is going off at 16/1 odds, while Sabalenka is the favorite at 5/2
Carlos Alcaraz favored, but men’s side also wide open
It is a similar story in the men’s draw, with the title seemingly up for grabs. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is not playing due to a knee injury. Carlos Alcaraz is finally back, but he has not played in more than four months because of a wrist issue. Novak Djokovic has not won a slam since the 2023 U.S. Open and did not look good in Cincinnati.
Despite his absence since Barcelona in April, Alcaraz arrives in New York as a 7/4 favorite. The Spaniard is bringing in 13 percent of futures bets, trailing only Alexander Zverev (16 percent at a 3/1 price).
Leave a Reply