After what has been a roller coaster season for the women’s tour, the US Open promises to be one filled with excitement as eight players battle it out for the No.1 spot.
Karolina Pliskova headlines the field for the final grand slam event of 2017. At the age of 25, she is seeking to become the first player (male or female) from her country to win the US Open since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Also chasing after their maiden major trophy will be Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina, both of whom has already won premier titles this season. Then there is Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza.
“I think it’s quite interesting. I feel like every week it’s changing. Every week it depends on who wins the tournament. I think it’s fun. I think for the fans and the tour it makes it interesting to have the diversity. I think coming up to the US Open and the Asian swing is going to be a real battle.” Muguruza recently commented about closeness in the rankings.
A lot can happen over the next two weeks, but here is a player-by-player guide to what each must achieve at the US Open to rise to the top of the rankings.
Karolina Pliskova
Seeding: 1
Age: 25
Ranking high: 1
Champion – Will stay at world No.1 unless she faces Halep in the final. If she plays Muguruza, both players will be tied at the top with the same points.
Runner-up – Only possible if both Halep and Muguruza fail to reach the semifinals, Svitolina fails to reach the final and the title can’t be won by either Wozniacki or Konta.
Semifinals – No chance
Simona Halep
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Seeding: 2
Age: 25
Ranking best: 2
Champion – Halep will become world No.1 no matter what
Runner-up – Halep will be No.1 unless Muguruza or Svitolina wins the title.
Semifinalist – Only be at the top if Muguruza losses before the semifinals and Svitolina or Pliskova doesn’t win the title.
Quarter-finalist – Will only become No.1 if the following happens:-
- Muguruza loses before the quarter-finals
- Pliskova and Svitolina loses before the semifinals
- Konta or Wozniacki doesn’t win the title
Garbine Muguruza
Seeding: 3
Age: 23
Ranking best: 2
Champion – No.1 no matter what
Runner-up – Needs Halep to go out in the semifinals and Svitolina fail to win the title. If Pliskova wins the title, she will have the exact same amount of points as Muguruza.
Goes out in the semifinals – Only become No.1 if the following happens :-
- Halep must not go beyond the quarter-finals
- Svitolina doesn’t reach the semifinals
- Pliskova doesn’t win the title
- If Wozniacki wins, she will draw even
Quarter-finalist – will only become No.1 if the following happens :-
- Halep losses before the fourth round
- Svitolina and Pliskova must not reach the final
- Konta, Kuznetsova or Wozniacki can’t win the title
Elina Svitolina
Seeding: 4
Age: 22
Ranking best: 4
Wins the title – No.1 no matter what
Finishes runner-up – Needs Halep to lose before the quarter-finals, Muguruza to go out before the semifinals and for Pliskova not to win the title.
Goes out in the semifinals – Six players need to benefit Svitolina in this scenario.
- Wozniacki, Kuznetsova or Konta can’t win the title
- Pliskova needs to go out before the semifinals
- Muguruza before the fourth round and Halep before the third.
A quarter-final loss – No chance
Caroline Wozniacki
Seeding: 5
Age: 27
Ranking best: 1
The only possible way for Wozniacki to become No.1 is for :-
- Her winning the title
- Halep goes out before the quarter-finals
- Muguruza crashes out before the semifinals (if she reached the semifinals, both will be tied on points)
- Svitolina fails to make final.
Johanna Konta
Seeding: 7
Age: 26
Ranking best: 4
The only possible way for Konta to become No.1 is for :-
- Her winning the title
- Both Halep and Muguruza to go out before the quarter-finals
- Svitolina to fail to reach the final
Svetlana Kuznetsova
Seeding: 8
Age: 32
Ranking best: 3
The only possible way for Kuznetsova to become No.1 is for
- Her winning the title
- Halep to lose before round 4
- Muguruza to lose before the quarter-finals
- Both Svitolina and Pliskova to fail to reach the final
Venus Williams
Seeding: 9
Age: 37
Ranking best: 1
The only possible way for Williams to become world No.1 is :-
- She wins the title
- Halep fails top go beyond the second round
- Muguruza fails to go beyond the third round
- Svitolina to fail to reach the semifinals
- Pliskova to not reach the final
guess what? 8 players will run for the WTA #1 at US Open.
Pliskova has to reach the F to have a chance to be #1 on Monday 11th September. pic.twitter.com/nW5qaTKB6P— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) 20 August 2017
