The threat from the youngsters
Aryna Sabalenka is not only set to play in her first ever US Open main draw at the age of 20. She will also be seeded in a major tournament for the first time at 26th. The Belarusian is set to break into the world’s top 20 on Monday after defeating Carla Suarez Navarro in the final of the Connecticut Open on Saturday. Winning her maiden WTA title. Prior to Connecticut, she was a finalist at tournaments in Lugano and Eastbourne as well as a semi-finalist at the Rogers Cup.
“I feel pretty fine. I have energy for the US Open. I am ready mentally,” Sablenka said following her win over Suarez Navarro. “I feel I’m going to fight no matter what. I feel like a tiger.”
Japan’s Naomi Osaka is hoping to make up for what has been a far from perfect performance on the North American Hard courts over the summer. This month she has only managed to win one out of four matches played. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old is capable of shaking up the draw. Illustrated by her surprised run to the Indian Wells title in March.
“Ever since I can remember, I played better against bigger players on bigger courts,” Osaka said during an interview with The New York Times.
In total there are four players currently ranked in the top 30 under the age of 21. The other two are former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and Russian rising star Daria Kasatkina. Both players are seeded 10th and 11th in the US Open draw.
In total there are 11 teenagers in the women’s draw. They are Whitney Osuigwe (16), Amanda Anisimova (16), Claire Liu (18), Dayana Yastremska (18), Sofia Kenin (19), Vera Lapko (19), Anna Blinkova (19), Caroline Dolehide (19), Marketa Vondrousova (19) and Anna Kalinskaya (19).
