Coco Gauff has most favorable draw at US Open 2023, Ons Jabeur has second-easiest: IBM analysis
According to an IBM AI data analysis, American teenage sensation Coco Gauff has the most favorable women's singles draw at the 2023 US Open.
Gauff will enter the New York Slam with hopes of clinching her first Grand Slam title thanks to an impressive run of results on the WTA Tour's North American hardcourt swing.
The 19-year-old claimed her second title of the year at the Citi Open in Washington in early August. She then secured her first WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati last weekend on the back of an impressive run to the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open.
She is now all set to start her campaign at her home Major. The No. 6 seed will face a qualifier in the first round and if she emerges victorious, she could face Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva in the second round.
Coco Gauff could even face defending champion Iga Swiatek in the tournament's quarterfinals. It will be a rematch of the Cincinnati semifinals, where the American beat the World No. 1 for the first time in eight attempts.
If she gets past the Pole, possibly the 2022 Wimbledon Champion Elena Rybakina will await her in the semifinals followed by 2023 Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
According to IBM's AI Draw analysis, Coco Gauff is followed by Ons Jabeur, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina in terms of having the most favorable women's singles draw at the last Major of the year.
"I think now I'm going in with a lot more confidence" - Coco Gauff ahead of US Open 2023
Coco Gauff spoke at a press conference before the start of the US Open, saying she is more confident this year than she was last year when she reached the quarterfinals.
"I think I'm obviously a lot more confident and, I don't know, I think the mindset is different. Having like that first-round loss at Wimbledon shows that it wasn't really as bad as it could happen, so I'm not going into this tournament worried if I lose early or not. I can't really control that result," she said.
The 19-year-old American sensation added that she is not concerned with winning or losing heading into the Major, but rather with giving her all.
"I think now I'm going in with a lot more confidence. I feel like no matter the score line in the match, I can be able to problem solve and troubleshoot my way out," she said.