The US Open begins Monday and defending champions Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic are both in the draw. But are either of them the favorite, with Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and so many others in the mix? We asked our experts:
Who will win the women’s singles title, and why?
Bill Connelly: This is a strange draw. So many of the best players are either battling rough patches of form or coming off of injuries. Granted, “failing to win three tournaments in a row (while still winning 10 matches in them)” is what constitutes a rough patch for Swiatek, but her comprehensive loss to Sabalenka in the Cincinnati semifinals made me think maybe Sabalenka is the player to beat.
Sabalenka rolled through four top-30 opponents without dropping a set, and she not only beat Swiatek 6-3, 6-3, she dominated. She created 15 break points to Swiatek’s six, she broke serve in five of nine Swiatek service games, and while her serve wasn’t 100%, it was more than good enough.
Sabalenka’s draw’s not exactly an easy task, but if Madison Keys (her potential fourth-round opponent) isn’t 100% healthy, she might not get a strong test until the quarterfinals. A favorable draw for a three-time semifinalist (and one-time finalist) who’s also the most in-form…
