2023 US Open Women’s Draw Preview: Swiatek Could See Gauff In QFs; Bottom Half Open
All eyes on the US Open women’s was where would Coco Gauff land, and sure enough with a 25% chance she ended up once again in the same quarter as tournament favorite and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Gauff, who has been on fire this summer at 12-1, is projected to meet Swiatek in the quarterfinals a rematch of their Cincinnati semifinal won by the American snapping a 14-set losing streak to Swiatek.
Among the other US Open favorites, Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open and in seeded second and Elena Rybakina is the fourth seed who could face Swiatek-Gauff winner in the semifinals.
The 19-year-old Gauff was handed a tricky draw while Swiatek should have no problem making the last eight.
The top seeds are: 1 Iga Swiatek, 2 Aryna Sabalenka, 3 Jessica Pegula, 4 Elena Rybakina, 5 Ons Jabeur, 6 Cori Gauff, 7 Caroline Garcia, 8 Maria Sakkari, 9 Marketa Vondrousova, 10 Karolina Muchova, 11 Petra Kvitova, 12 Barbora Krejcikova, 13 Daria Kasatkina, 14 Liudmila Samsonova, 15 Belinda Bencic, 16 Veronika Kudermetova
IGA SWIATEK QUARTER
Seeds: 1 Swiatek, 6 Gauff, 11 Kvitova, 16 Kudermetova, 20 Ostapenko, 24 Linette, 29 Cocciaretto, 32 Mertens
Floaters: Collins, Fruhvirtova, Cornet, Andreeva, Wozniacki
Notable openers: Iga Swiatek-Rebecca Peterson, Jelena Ostapenko-Jasmine Paolini, Bernarda Pera-Veronika Kudermetova, Petra Kvitova-Cristina Bucsa, Q/LL-Caroline Wozniacki, Danielle Collins-Linda Fruhvirtova
Projected 3R matches: 1 Swiatek – 29 Cocciaretto, 20 Ostapenko – 16 Kudermetova, 11 Kvitova – 24 Linette, 32 Mertens – 6 Gauff
Notes: Under new coach Brad Gilbert, with Gauff playing as well as she has and Swiatek so tough in Slams, it would be reasonable to make the case the Swiatek-Gauff winner goes on to win the US Open. Gauff, though, will have to deal with fellow teens Mirra Andreeva and Linda Fruhvirtova along with the dangerous Danielle Collins, with potentially Petra Kvitova or Jen Brady before Swiatek.
ELENA RYBAKINA QUARTER
Seeds: 4 Rybakina, 8 Sakkari, 10 Muchova, 15 Bencic, 18 Azarenka, 19 Haddad Maia, 28 Kalinina, 30 Cirstea
Floaters: Kostyuk, Stephens, Tomljanovic, Townsend
Notable openers: Elena Rybakina-Marta Kostyuk, Victoria Azarenka-Fiona Ferro, Sloane Stephens-Beatriz Haddad Maia
Projected 3R matches: 4 Rybakina – 30 Cirstea, 18 Azarenka – 15 Bencic, 10 Muchova – 19 Haddad Maia, 28 Kalinina – 8 Sakkari
Notes: Former winner Sloane Stephens could take advantage of an overall weak section should Rybakina be off her game. But if the former Wimbledon winner gets into gear, she’ll have a clear path. Karolina Muchova, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sakkari could also be factors, and Rybakina opens against the dangerous Marta Kostyuk.
JESSICA PEGULA QUARTER
Seeds: 3 Pegula, 7 Garcia, 9 Vondrousova, 14 Samsonova, 17 Keys, 22 Alexandrova, 26 Svitolina, 27 Potapova
Floaters: Andreescu, Giorgi, Boulter, Trevisan, Fernandez, Putintseva, Pavlyuchenkova
Notable openers: Ekaterina Alexandrova-Leylah Fernandez, Bianca Andreescu-Lesia Tsurenko, Liudmila Samsonova-Claire Liu, Elina Svitolina-Anna Lena Friedsam, Camila Giorgi-Jessica Pegula
Projected 3R matches: 7 Garcia – 27 Potapova, 22 Alexandrova – 9 Vondrousova, 14 Samsonova – 17 Keys, 26 Svitolina – 3 Pegula
Notes: Jessica Pegula is still seeking that first Slam semifinal, could this be the event? She’ll have a tough road with Camila Giorgi and then later Elina Svitolina followed by sluggers Liudmila Samsonova or Madison Keys before possible Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova or Caroline Garcia in the quarters. Garcia made the semifinals last year but appears ready for the early upset this time. So that 16 section is open.
ARYNA SABALENKA QUARTER
Seeds: 2 Sabalenka, 5 Jabeur, 12 Krejcikova, 13 Kasatkina, 21 Vekic, 23 Zheng, 25 Pliskova, 31 Bouzkova
Floaters: Martic, Parks, Badosa, Noskova, Kenin, Venus Williams
Notable openers: Ons Jabeur-Camila Osorio, Tatjana Maria-Petra Martic, Qinwen Zheng-Nadia Podoroska, Daria Kasatkina-Alycia Parks, Maryna Zanevska-Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa-Venus Williams
Projected 3R matches: 5 Jabeur – 31 Bouzkova, 23 Zheng – 12 Krejcikova, 13 Kasatkina – 21 Vekic, 25 Pliskova – 2 Sabalenka
Notes: The Venus Williams-Paula Badosa encounter is the first round match of the event, but won’t figure much beyond that. Sabalenka and Jabeur look to be on a collision course for a quarterfinal meeting. Jabuer has a great draw while Sabalenka might have to deal with Vekic or Kasatkina who has a tricky opener against Alyca Parks.
The projected quarterfinals:
1 Swiatek – 6 Gauff
4 Rybakina – 8 Sakkari
7 Garcia – 3 Pegula
5 Jabeur – 2 Sabalenka
The projected R16 looks like:
1 Swiatek – 16 Kudermetova
11 Kvitova – 6 Gauff
4 Rybakina – 15 Bencic
10 Muchova – 8 Sakkari
7 Garcia – 9 Vondrousova
14 Samsonova – 3 Pegula
5 Jabeur – 12 Krejcikova
13 Kasatkina – 2 Sabalenka
Former champions: Swiatek, Stephens, Andreescu
Former finalists: Wozniacki (2), Azarenka (3), Fernandez, Keys, Jabeur, Pliskova
Last year, (1) Iga Swiatek defeated (5) Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6(5).
LAST 10 US OPEN CHAMPIONS/FINALS
2022 Iga Swiatek d Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6(5)
2021 Emma Raducanu d Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3
2020 Naomi Osaka d Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
2019 Bianca Andreescu d Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5
2018 Naomi Osaka d Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4
2017 Sloane Stephens d Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0
2016 Angelique Kerber d Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
2015 Flavia Pennetta d Roberta Vinci 7-6(4), 6-2
2014 Serena Williams d Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3
2013 Serena Williams d Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-1
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