Much of the attention will be on Serena as she hunts down Grand Slam number 24. But the women’s draw at the 2020 US Open could scarcely be more open or difficult to predict.
When six of the world’s top ten decided not to travel to New York due to coronavirus, the pool of potential winners expanded. Even though women’s draws at Grand Slams have often been unpredictable in recent years in normal circumstances, the odds of a surprise winner are shorter this time because all the players involved are likely to face fewer top players on their way through the field.
However, as tennis legend Martina Navratilova pointed out in an interview with BBC Sport, “We don’t treat Marion Bartoli’s win at Wimbledon in 2013 any different even though she didn’t play anyone ranked higher than 17th – that’s just how the draw works out.”
Serena’s Quest For 24th Grand Slam Title
Serena Williams has a great chance to win her 24th Grand Slam title against a weakened field. Or rather, she would have if she were in form. She lost to Jennifer Brady in the last four in Lexington. Then she was defeated by Maria Sakkari in the last 16 of the Western & Southern Open.
The American’s loss to the Greek seems particularly relevant now that the draw is out, as she is seeded to face Sakkari in the fourth round. If Serena makes it that far, and beats the 15th seed, she could then face either Madison Keys or Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-final. If she reaches the semi-final, she will probably find Sofia Kenin or Johanna Konta standing in her way. All in all, it is fair to say the draw has not been kind to the 23-time Grand Slam champion. However, that in no way means that she cannot win the title.
Could US Open 2020 Be Konta’s Moment?
Konta has been mightily impressive at the Western & Southern Open. She has brushed aside all three opponents with consummate ease and looks an excellent bet to go on and claim the trophy.
Whether she wins the event or not, the Brit can head into the US Open full of confidence. She must beat Fed Cup teammate Heather Watson in the first round. Then she may have to negotiate a tricky third-round encounter with rising star Karolina Muchova.
If she gets through to the last 16, she could face a tough match against either Aryna Sabalenka or Victoria Azarenka. Then, if the draw follows the seedings, she will have to tackle a very challenging test in the shape of reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Time For Pliskova To Deliver
Top seed Karolina Pliskova is capable of winning a Grand Slam title. Whether she ever will is anybody’s guess. But she may never get a better chance than this. Six of the top ten are absent and she has been gifted a kind draw from the pool of the players taking part.
The only match that the Czech should be worried about before the semi-final stage is a possible fourth-round against either Angelique Kerber or Alison Riske. While the German looks to be past her best, she could draw on all her experience and produce a masterclass. And the American showed how dangerous she can be at last year’s Wimbledon.
If Pliskova reaches the last four, that is when things are likely to get really difficult. She could face either Naomi Osaka or Petra Kvitova, who are both capable of beating absolutely anybody.
All Eyes On Naomi Osaka
Despite the shortage of tennis this summer, Naomi Osaka has been in the news a lot. She has used her high profile to take a commendable stand against systemic racism all over the world. On the eve of the US Open draw, she informed her followers on Twitter that she would be withdrawing from her Western & Southern Open semi-final to draw attention to the recent shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
In response to Osaka’s decision, the ATP, WTA and USTA postponed all matches at the Western & Southern Open until Friday. The World No.10 was pleased by this move from the governing bodies, and she has agreed to play her semi-final. However, considering that all of this is going on, it seems unlikely that the Japanese player is devoting much of her time to tennis, so it will be interesting to see how focused she is when she plays Elise Mertens tomorrow.
It will also be intriguing to see how Osaka plays at the US Open. There are a lot of dangerous players in her quarter – Petra Kvitova, Elena Rybakina, Annet Kontaveit, Dayana Yastremska, Camila Giorgi, Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins to name a few – so if she is not fully focused on her game she could lose at any time.
If Osaka performs well, she will probably face Kontaveit in round four, Kvitova in the quarter-final and Pliskova in the semi-final. And if the Japanese plays at a level somewhere near her best, she has a fantastic chance of winning her third Grand Slam title.
