American women swept the two Premier 1000 titles heading into the U.S. Open. Jessica Pegula triumphed in Montreal and then good friend and doubles partner Coco Gauff lifted the trophy in Cincinnati. Gauff is especially on fire, having also captured the Washington, D.C. title earlier this month.
Now the next step for each player is to a win a Grand Slam for the first time. Both Pegula and Gauff are among the favorites in New York, although world No. 1 Iga Swiatek obviously tops that list. Swiatek is the defending U.S. Open champion, too.
However, with Swiatek having looked vulnerable in Montreal and Cincinnati it feels like the title at Flushing Meadows is relatively up for grabs. Here are my top three picks to prevail on the women’s side.
Jessica Pegula
Pegula has been incredibly consistent on the biggest stages in tennis, reaching the quarterfinals at five of the last seven Grand Slams. The world No. 3 is 0-6 lifetime in the quarterfinals, but her performance in Montreal (where she upset Swiatek on the way to winning) indicates that she is ready to get over the hump. Pegula has a favorable draw in New York and should be able to capitalize on it.
Aryna Sabalenka
Conditions in New York are great for Sabalenka, who reached the semifinals at each of the past two U.S. Opens. She also won the first hard-court major of this season (beat Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open title match). As the No. 2 seed, Sabalenka is obviously in the bottom half of the draw away from Swiatek–so right away that sets herself up to make a deep run. She might just go all the way.
Karolina Muchova
Muchova is a relative longshot, but that was also the case at the French Open and in Cincinnati and she reached the final of both (led Swiatek by a break in the third set at Roland Garros before losing). The Czech’s resurgent 2023 campaign also includes a quarterfinal showing in Indian Wells. Muchova is in the top half of the draw with Swiatek and Gauff but not in the same quarter, so an opportunity is there for her.
who ya got?
Swiatek, Rybakina, Muchova
I’m riding the nyc crowd noise and pushing for coco! She has finally started to garner a true belief in herself and back that up with a raucous arena, she swallows the field whole!!! As for the men, no doubt in my mind Joker wins it. Enjoy the show y’all!
Agree
That’s not me above!
Ricky can you please stop this business of posts appearing with the names of regular or former posters attached.
I wonder if the pressure of expectation will be too much for Jessica/Coco. I’m going for Muchova this time ,usually would have gone for Iga/Aryna but this is more exciting. She did reach two finals this year.
I love Karolina and she is fortunate to be in Sakkarki ‘s quarter. She played a very disappointing final against Gauff at cincy though…
Well I would have gone for Saba but she can struggle against players like Ons and Muchova. Iga is tired, Coco probably the favourite but all the expectation on her can she cope? I’m looking for a surprise winner
Yes I kind of agree. Karolina won easily today. Just looking at live scores as thanks to Murdoch I can’t watch..
No one is giving Elena any chance I note..
I don’t really see Coco as the fave a!though she has a ton of momentum and the crowd..
Elena had so many injuries ,I would only back her to go very far if fully fit
Yes. I wouldn’t have picked her. I hope she gets fit soon as I really like her. When on she is a great player.
Very poor coverage on NOW TV. Limited or no match selection, too much ‘discussion ‘ /adverts and not enough live tennis
What a rip off!
No way am I paying for it…
I couldn’t pick Gauff to win the title. It’s not that she lacks the skills, but the competition is tough in her bracket. If Coco beats Iga, Coco still has to tangle with Kvitova, Rybakina, and Muchova. Dark and not-so-dark horses like Wozniacki, Ostapenko, Avanesyan, Bernarda Pera, and Jennifer Brady are also lurking in that section.
Pegula is capable of winning the US Open, like Coco. Bu Jess has to contend with the current Wimbledon Champion, Sabalenka, and Jabeur. I was going to pick Muchova but changed my pick to Vondrousova at the last minute.
Of course, I could be wrong!! I have not had a good record recently picking WTA brackets.
Ekaterina Alexandrova is another tough out, and again, I overlooked her. And there are some excellent Chinese players that I neglect. Qiwen Zheng and the one that knocked Caroline Garcia out, Yafan Wang; I had Y. Wang instead of Garcia but forgot to hit the button that saves changes made.
Oh, no. I think Kvitova will lose to Wozzie, and Ostapenko is in danger of losing in the third set. Time to hide 😯
Pojd!! Petra Pojd!
Tennis Channel is kicked out for Grand Slams. There is one ESPN channel for tennis and it’s the Cart Horse match.
ESPN has the Petra/Wozzie match on. Dang it, I forgot how much the crowd loves Wozzie.
I think Keys is also to play Pegula.If both still in.I had Coco and Jess going respectably far but not win the title.O couldn’t quite pick Saba or Iga either.So many tough matches
Azatenka a huge disappointment.Zhu was playing really well recently should have picked her 😳
Both my brackets are seas of red! Or should I say, “red seas!”