Ricky’s preview and picks for the ladies’s U.S. Open

Although Iga Swiatek is comfortably No. 1 on the planet, there may be truly a good quantity of parity on the WTA Tour in the intervening time. Three totally different girls have received 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 received the U.S. Open title over the previous 5 seasons. Within the final 10 years, solely Naomi Osaka has received it twice.

All of that ought to make for an attention-grabbing match. Sabalenka and Swiatek are the favorites, however an entire host of different contenders are within the combine.

Listed below 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 as a consequence of a shoulder downside earlier than skipping the Olympics. The Belarusian is again with a vengeance on North American laborious 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 12 months; don’t be shocked if she goes one step farther.

Jessica Pegula

Pegula’s preparation for the U.S. Open was excellent. The 30-year-old American received 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 best way 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 isn’t a doubt she has the expertise to win a slam. Badosa is again from damage and in stellar kind, successful the Washington, D.C. title prematurely of a semifinal run in Cincinnati (misplaced to Pegula in three units). The 26-year-old has a positive draw on the Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle, the place she meet not face Sabalenka till the semis and Swiatek till the ultimate.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter at @Dimonator.