US Open: Major question marks in women's field leave door open for Gauff, Swiatek

New York: Major question marks hang over the top two seeds in the women's field when the US Open main draw begins on Sunday, leaving the door open for past winners Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek to bring home another trophy from Flushing Meadows.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka's dismal back half of the season has clouded her pursuit of a rare third successive US Open title, while No. 2 Elena Rybakina's exit from Cincinnati with a leg injury has cast her campaign into doubt.

It has been a different story entirely for 2023 champion Gauff, who got her once-maligned serve working for her en route to the semis in Toronto and to her first title of the year with a confidence-inspiring performance in Cincinnati.


She will benefit, too, from the rowdy New York crowd, as a perennial American fan favourite.

"Coco Gauff played exceptional tennis in Cincinnati. She played well in Canada, as well. To me she's the one that's playing the best tennis," said ESPN commentator and former world number four Mary Joe Fernandez.

Also read | US Open: The stars align in New York

Fourth-ranked Gauff and third-ranked Jessica Pegula will be playing for national pride with US women failing to make the final at the first three majors this year.

A 'BUMPY' JOURNEY FOR SWIATEK

Poland's six-times major winner Swiatek arrives in New York with fresh fight in her, shaking off bitter criticism back home to win her first title of the season in Toronto earlier this month.

Swiatek has not made it past the quarterfinals at any of the year's majors and had to fight her way back to top form in time for the North American hard court swing.

"The journey has been bumpy this season," the eighth-ranked Swiatek told reporters after she swatted aside Rybakina to lift the trophy in Canada. "Sometimes I was impatient throughout the season. I was, like, seeking (a win) while maybe my game was not ready."

But while Swiatek's form is peaking at the best time, Sabalenka's has dipped at the worst, as she has failed to reach a final since completing the Sunshine Double this year. "She struggled a bit winning the big points. She's lost a couple big leads in some events," said Fernandez. "She's vulnerable."

If she wins, she would become only the third woman in the Open Era to "three-peat" at Flushing Meadows - and the first since Serena Williams claimed a trio of titles between 2012 and 2014 - as she closes in on 100 straight weeks atop the rankings.

Also read | India-Sri Lanka Test series: Beyond the result

Other contenders include Russian teen Mirra Andreeva, who claimed her maiden major title at Roland Garros this year, and Czech Linda Noskova, who carved out her own slice of the spotlight with a breakthrough Wimbledon title last month.

And the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala made believers out of many when she beat four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and Pegula to win the WTA 500 title in DC this month.