US Open Women's draw preview: Can anyone prevent a Serena-Azarenka final?
During the last 10 grand slams on the women’s side, a first-time grand slam champion has emerged victorious on five occasions. Yet, this year’s US Open seems like a two-horse race between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
Let’s breakdown their path to the finals in New York.
First Quarter
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is the odds-on favourite to win her fifth US Open title in New York this fortnight. But the American will have to negotiate her way through a difficult draw.
The 31-year-old American will play the first night session on Monday against veteran Francesca Schiavone. The Italian is nowhere close to her 2010 French Open winning form – but she knows how to put on a show and the crowds in New York, with a sizeable Italian immigrant population, will be rooting for her.
Serena’s potential third round opponent is the 29th seeded Magdalena Rybarikova. The Slovak went 10-3 during the US Open series events and after winning the title in Washington, she has lost only to Williams and second ranked Victoria Azarenka since, which means she could play Serena tough.
And awaiting Serena in the fourth round could be a young American 15th seeded Sloane Stephens, who knocked Serena out of the Australian Open, or 23rd seeded Jamie Hampton, whose game can help her compete with the best on her day. Stephens and Hampton are due to play in the third round and Serena will not want to lose to a younger American at the US Open.
Serena’s projected quarter-final opponent is the 8th seed Angelique Kerber, whose level has dipped in recent months. Kerber is only 6-6 since the French Open and could be marked out for an early exit.
The German has Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in the third round and either Wimbledon semi-finalist Kirsten Flipkens, seeded no. 12, or Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, seeded 18th, in the fourth round.
Upset Special – Two-time champion Venus Williams to upset 12th seed Kirsten Flipkens
Also watch out for – 19-year-old Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and 20-year-old French girl Kristina Mladenovic
Predicted Quarter-final – Serena Williams vs. Eugenie Bouchard