Although Iga Swiatek is comfortably No. 1 on the planet, there’s truly an honest quantity of parity on the WTA Tour for the time being. Three totally different girls have gained the primary three majors in 2024: Aryna Sabalenka (Australian Open), Swiatek (French Open), and Barbora Krejcikova (Wimbledon). Add the Paris Olympics into the equation and it’s 4 totally different winners (Qinwen Zheng). Furthermore, 5 totally different girls have gained the U.S. Open title over the previous 5 seasons. Within the final 10 years, solely Naomi Osaka has gained it twice.
All of that ought to make for an attention-grabbing match. Sabalenka and Swiatek are the favorites, however a complete host of different contenders are within the combine.
Listed here are my favourite picks to win the 2024 U.S. Open girls’s singles title.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka is effectively rested and motivated, having missed Wimbledon on account of a shoulder downside earlier than skipping the Olympics. The Belarusian is again with a vengeance on North American exhausting courts. She is coming off a title in Cincinnati title, the place she defeated each Swiatek and Jessica Pegula. Sabalenka was runner-up on the U.S. Open final yr; don’t be stunned if she goes one step farther.
Jessica Pegula
Pegula’s preparation for the U.S. Open was good. The 30-year-old American gained the Toronto title earlier than ending runner-up to Sabalenka in Cincy. A local New Yorker, Pegula will get pleasure from important home-court benefit at this occasion. She reached the quarters at Flushing Meadows in 2022 and simply may go all the way in which this time round.
Paula Badosa
Badosa is an intriguing longshot play. The Spaniard has peaked as excessive as No. 2 on the planet, so there is no such thing as a doubt she has the expertise to win a slam. Badosa is again from damage and in stellar type, profitable the Washington, D.C. title upfront of a semifinal run in Cincinnati (misplaced to Pegula in three units). The 26-year-old has a good draw on the Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart, the place she meet not face Sabalenka till the semis and Swiatek till the ultimate.
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
