By Tony Fairbairn
- Defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek faces stern competition in US Open title defence bid
- Top Seeds: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina
- British Interest: Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage
NEW YORK, USA – Defending champion Iga Swiatek is looking to raise her level and overcome stern competition as she looks to win her second consecutive US Open title.
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[1] Iga Swiatek
Best Result: Champion (2022)
Swiatek’s semi-final defeats in Montreal and Cincinnati means that her US Open title defence isn’t as straightforward as expected as she looks to win a fifth Grand Slam title.
Swiatek’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Rebecca Peterson | H2H: Swiatek leads 2-0
- R2: Daria Saville | H2H: Swiatek leads 1-0
- R3: Elisabetta Cocciaretto [29] | H2H: First Meeting
- R4: Veronika Kudermetova [16] | H2H: Swiatek leads 4-0
- QF: Coco Gauff [6] | H2H: Swiatek leads 7-1
- SF: Elena Rybakina [4] | H2H: Rybakina leads 3-1
- F: Aryna Sabalenka [2] | H2H: Swiatek leads 5-3
Swiatek’s first week is relatively comfortable with Daria Saville expected to test the world number one’s athleticism in the early round. A last 16 meeting with Jelena Ostapenko or Veronika Kudermetova will test Swiatek’s ability to be aggressive as this match will start a very tough second week for the pole. A quarter-final meeting with Coco Gauff looks less straightforward after the American beat Swiatek for the first time in Cincinnati while a semi-final meeting with Rybakina also poses challenges to the Pole’s recent fatigued tennis. Overall the draw allows Swiatek to play her way into the tournament and it’s well documented that if Swiatek can build her confidence and play her best tennis in the second week, then there’s nobody that can stop the Pole’s bid for a fifth Grand Slam title.
[2] Aryna Sabalenka
Best Results: Semi-Finals (2021, 2022)
Sabalenka is looking to end the Grand Slam season just how she started it by winning the title and a second Grand Slam of her career, although she enters the US Open in poor form.
Sabalenka’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Maryna Zanevska | H2H: First Meeting
- R2: Anna Blinkova | H2H: Sabalenka leads 3-0
- R3: Karolina Pliskova [25] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 3-2
- R4: Daria Kasatkina [13] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 4-3
- QF: Ons Jabeur [5] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 4-2
- SF: Jessica Pegula [3] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 4-1
- F: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 5-3
Sabalenka has a fairly comfortable opening two rounds against Maryna Zanevska or Anna Blinkova, who will have to beat Jodie Burrage first to set up that second round match. A third round match against Karolina Pliskova will be Sabalenka’s first test before facing one of Daria Kasatkina, Venus Williams, Paula Badosa or Donna Vekic in the last 16. A quarter-final against Ons Jabeur could determine the fate of who faces Swiatek in the final with Sabalenka gaining revenge against Jabeur in Cincinnati. Overall it’s a good draw for Sabalenka but only if the world number two can stay consistent, any dips in form and Sabalenka could be saying goodbye to New York before she’s said hello.
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[3] Jessica Pegula
Best Result: Quarter-Final (2022)
Pegula will look to break her Grand Slam semi-final curse at her home Grand Slam as she enters the final Grand Slam of the season having won her second WTA 1000 title in Montreal.
Pegula’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Camila Giorgi | H2H: Pegula leads 8-2
- R2: Rebecca Marino | H2H: First Meeting
- R3: Elina Svitolina [26] | H2H: Pegula leads 3-1
- R4: Liudmila Samsonova [14] | H2H: Pegula leads 3-1
- QF: Caroline Garcia [7] | H2H: Tied at 2-2
- SF: Aryna Sabalenka [2] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 4-1
- F: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 5-3
Pegula couldn’t have asked for a more difficult draw with the American having to face big-hitting Camila Giorgi in her opening round even if Pegula has a convincing head-to-head against the Italian. The American will then have to go through tests against Elina Svitolina, Liudmila Samsonova and Madison Keys before a potential quarter-final meeting with Caroline Garcia. Overall Pegula will need to pass some severe tests to get to the latter stages in New York but if the American can bring her best tennis than she will be a difficult player to beat for any player in the draw.
[4] Elena Rybakina
Best Result: Third Round (2021)
Rybakina is looking to overcome fatigue and injuries to win her second Grand Slam title of her career at the US Open in what is her weakest Grand Slam.
Rybakina’s Path to the Final
- R1: Marta Kostyuk | H2H: Kostyuk leads 1-0
- R2: Panna Udvardy | H2H: First Meeting
- R3: Sorana Cirstea [30] | H2H: Rybakina leads 2-0
- R4: Belinda Bencic [15] | H2H: Tied at 1-1
- QF: Maria Sakkari [8] | H2H: First Meeting
- SF: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Rybakina leads 3-1
- F: Aryna Sabalenka [2] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 4-1
Rybakina has been given a very tricky opening round against Marta Kostyuk which will test her title credentials and fitness levels early on. Tests against the likes of Sorana Cirstea and Belinda Bencic will further test where her game is at in the second week before a potential quarter-final against Karolina Muchova. Overall if Rybakina can get through the opening week unscathed then she stands a good chance of going all the way however at the moment there are big question marks as to whether she can consistently maintain her level.
The 2023 US Open takes place between on the 28 August and 10 September.
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