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5 high contenders for the ladies’s title on the US Open, which begins on Monday.
IGA SWIATEK (Poland)
World rating: 1
Swiatek would be the favorite to win a second successive title in New York, however the Pole is now not the indomitable pressure she was in 2022 and the highest rating she has held for 73 consecutive weeks is once more hanging within the steadiness.
The 22-year-old has gained a tour-leading 4 titles this yr, together with the French Open, however misplaced within the semi-finals of US Open tune-ups in Montreal and Cincinnati.
Something lower than a profitable title defence at Flushing Meadows opens the door for Aryna Sabalenka to turn into primary.
ARYNA SABALENKA (Belarus)
World rating: 2
For the third consecutive main Sabalenka can have the chance to dethrone Swiatek as world primary. The Belarusian, who gained this yr’s Australian Open, has steadily decreased what as soon as appeared an insurmountable hole to the Pole.
The large-hitting 25-year-old is 17-2 at Grand Slam occasions this yr having reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Along with her highly effective serve now extra dependable, she will probably be relishing a return to her most popular floor in New York, the place she has reached the semi-finals in her final two appearances.
ELENA RYBAKINA (Kazakstan)
World rating: 4
Questions on Rybakina’s health stay earlier than the US Open however she is a confirmed performer on laborious courts and has crushed each Swiatek and Sabalenka on the floor this season.
Rybakina beat each gamers throughout her title run at Indian Wells and likewise noticed off Swiatek earlier than reaching the Australian Open remaining. She completed runner-up in Miami however withdrew from the French Open attributable to sickness.
The 24-year-old Russian-born Kazakh reached the semi-finals in Montreal earlier than pulling out of the Cincinnati Open attributable to damage and has but to make it previous the third spherical in New York.
COCO GAUFF (US)
World rating: 6
Gauff has been thriving on dwelling soil and arrives in New York eyeing a Grand Slam breakthrough after notching her first ever win over Swiatek.
{The teenager} backed up her WTA 500 triumph in Washington by beating Swiatek and French Open finalist Karolina Muchova in back-to-back matches to assert her third title of the season in Cincinnati final week.
Since her first-round exit at Wimbledon Gauff is 11-1 on hardcourts, her solely loss coming in Montreal to Jessica Pegula.
JESSICA PEGULA (US)
World rating: 3
Pegula has gained eight of her 10 hardcourt matches throughout the North American swing, beating Swiatek and doubles associate Gauff on her technique to the Montreal title.
The 29-year-old reclaimed her career-high rating after profitable the WTA 1000 match and, regardless of an early exit in Cincinnati, would be the highest-ranked American at Flushing Meadows, the place she reached the quarter-finals final yr.
Images: Reuters
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