2022 US Open - Women's Singles Discussion

[Aussie Darcy]

Final slam of the year.

Crazy year we've had, the first slam champ of the year retired barely 2 months after she won the AO. Current number 1 Swiatek then won the French Open and then at a Wimbledon which awarded no points, Rybakina won her first slam.

So, here we are at the last slam of the year.

The seeds are:
Swiatek, Kontaveit, Sakkari, Badosa, Jabeur, Sabalenka, Halep, Pegula, Muguruza, Kazatkina, Raducanu, Gauff, Bencic, Fernandez, Haddad Maia, Ostapenko, Garcia, Kudermetova, Collins, Keys, Kvitova, Pliskova, Krejcikova, Anisimova, Rybakina, Azarenka, Trevisan, Alexandrova, Riske, Teichmann, Rogers and Mertens.

Wildcards are:
Jaimee Fourlis
Peyton Stearns
Venus Williams
Sofia Kenin
Harmony Tan
Eleana Yu
Elizabeth Mandlik
Coco Vandeweghe

Raducanu is the defending champion, Fernandez is the defending finalist. Both haven't had the best 12 months so lots of points to defend.

Done a poll based on betting odds, recent performance and previous history at slams. Feel free to criticise me all you want, you have 4 days to vote.

 

[dking68]

Time for Halep to win her first HC major

 

[flyingboris]

From the qualies, I love that these were real player positions during an actual point.

 

[Nostradamus]

Bianca looks great in practice, i think she will win the US open

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/video/practice-courts/court-p3.html

 

[flyingboris]

Bianca looks great in practice, i think she will win the US open

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/video/practice-courts/court-p3.html

It’s funny, even just walking around the practice court she looks like a drama queen.

Edit: really fun, thanks for that link. Right now on court 1 Leylah Fernandez is skipping rope. Meanwhile Aryna is groaning on court 4.

 

[PSNELKE]

Kinda tragic to say this but Raducanu has no business being in this poll. She won't see the 4th round. Same for Serena, with all due respect for her and her achievements. No matter how well she hits, there's no way she wins more than a couple matches being this slow and in such a bad physical shape.

Halep, Garcia for me.

 

[ScottleeSV]

Raducanu and Serena are non starters. Crazy as it sounds, Garcia might actually be favourite unless she has a mental meltdown (possible). Nobody is an obvious title winner though. Swiatek looks weak at the moment. Rybakina unlikely to win 2 in a row. Halep never plays this slam well.

Jabeur might well win it. Sabalenka could sneak it too I guess; she's going to win again eventually. Muguruza, Krejicova, Fernandez - don't see it. Someone like a Samsonova or a Sasnovich could come through and make a name for themselves. Pegula a good dark horse.

Can't wait for the draw. Bound to be at least WTF Rd 1 tie.

 

[marc45]

good draw for Serena

 

[ttwreader]

 

[randomtoss]

Kinda tragic to say this but Raducanu has no business being in this poll. She won't see the 4th round. Same for Serena, with all due respect for her and her achievements. No matter how well she hits, there's no way she wins more than a couple matches being this slow and in such a bad physical shape.

Halep, Garcia for me.

Off topic, but I wanted to say that your avatar fills me with joy every time I see it, even though I'm a joyous Dr Bull hater A ******** with a headband, that's so cute !

EDIT: I'll never undestand how an animal's name is censored on this forum

 

[ttwreader]

Iga's quarter includes 5 other major champions: Stephens, Kenin, Ostapenko, Muguruza and Kvitova.

 

[D-Lite]

That bottom 1/8 of the draw is wide open. Serena, Fernandez, Samsonova, Kontaveit, Tomljanovic, Muchova and Krejcikova... Of all of these players, is Tomljanovic the most consistent nowadays? If Serena was going to have a draw that allows her to play her way into the tournament then this is it. Having said that I doubt she has the stamina to go 7 matches anyway, but at least there are rest days between. Fernandez has a decent shot at at least cushioning any points loss from her 2021 RU result.

 

[clayqueen]

I think Cornet will take Raducanu out in the 1st round, sadly.

 

[ScottleeSV]

I don't think Raducanu's draw is as bad as it sounds and I don't think Serena's is necessarily 'good'.

Cornet has had a good year but how much more has her battered body got at this point? On these courts I think Raducanu takes her down

As for Williams, tricky one. Kovinic serves well and isn't that bad. Rd 2 is no walkover either. Kontaveit might be out of form but what does that make Williams?

 

[fundrazer]

Mugu's terrible season probably not going to get any better in New York. Probably going to bet Tauson, even with Tauson burning me against Petko earlier in the summer hc season.

 

[DutchUncle]

Iga's quarter includes 5 other major champions: Stephens, Kenin, Ostapenko, Muguruza and Kvitova.

And not one of them is a threat to Swiatek, even if she is off the boil a bit.

 

[flyingboris]

Some Day 1 matches: Serena-slayer Harmony Tan vs former US Open champ Bianca Andreescu. Osaka-Collins could be competitive. I hope Quinwen survives fashion queen Penko, and I hope Amanda makes it past Putintseva. And I wish I had the day off!

 

[DutchUncle]

I think Cornet will take Raducanu out in the 1st round, sadly.

Cornet might be too exhausted to trouble RowtheCanoe. I hope it'll be a good match. But Cornet's playing Sasnovich in the Cleveland SF tomorrow, and might get into the final there. And then needs to pack gear to land in NY. I hope she stays in fit shape for the USO.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Halep will take it all

 

[ttwreader]

For some reason, some posters here don't see the thread created yesterday by Aussie Darcy. You guys are welcome to discuss here or in the other thread.

For Djokovic fans, since he cannot come to the U.S. to play the USO this year, there is no reason for you to watch men's matches. This place should be the best place for you now to talk tennis during the USO. For Nadal fans, many of top women players are Rafa fans so you should watch them more. And for Federer fans, I don't know who you support now, so why not watching some women tennis?

 

[AM75]

I keep on telling myself: there is no such a thing like a rigged draw!

 

[coolcamden]

Glad to see this buddy.

Many interesting 1st round matches
Zheng/OysterPanko
Mug/Tauson
EM/Cornet
Osaka/DC

 

[flyingboris]

...alternatively, you could put a link to Aussie's thread in your OP.

His thread is here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/2022-us-open-womens-singles-discussion.734366

 

[James P]

Nah, this is good, I'm happy to keep AD blocked from my view.

 

[coolcamden]

Nah, this is good, I'm happy to keep AD blocked from my view.

Same here. Great minds think alike.

 

[ttwreader]

...alternatively, you could put a link to Aussie's thread in your OP.

His thread is here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/2022-us-open-womens-singles-discussion.734366

Yes, I did. There is a link under "thread" (the last word of the 1st paragraph) but it's too small almost unnoticeable (sorry for that)

 

[stringertom]

Off topic, but I wanted to say that your avatar fills me with joy every time I see it, even though I'm a joyous Dr Bull hater A ******** with a headband, that's so cute !

EDIT: I'll never undestand how an animal's name is censored on this forum

Too many fans of the man resembling the world’s largest rodent complained after seeing this visual proof of the resemblance:

 

[ttwreader]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1562906648242311169

 

[zvelf]

I don't think Raducanu's draw is as bad as it sounds and I don't think Serena's is necessarily 'good'.

Cornet has had a good year but how much more has her battered body got at this point? On these courts I think Raducanu takes her down

As for Williams, tricky one. Kovinic serves well and isn't that bad. Rd 2 is no walkover either. Kontaveit might be out of form but what does that make Williams?

Raducanu's draw is pretty brutal. She has to go through Cornet, then probably Siniakova (to whom Emma lost in Miami earlier this year), followed by Osaka or Collins, followed by Rybakina or Sabalenka. That's just to reach the quarters.

Serena got practically the easiest possible draw. Serena may be more out of form than Kontaveit, but Serena at her best was far better than Kontaveit so she has a lot more form to drop. I'm not saying she will beat Kontaveit, but she has a shot - a shot Serena wouldn't have were she to face the in-form Kontaveit from the end of last year. That Kontaveit would crush this Serena.

 

[ttwreader]

Iga's today practice (from 0:40)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1562878677653798912

 

[ttwreader]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1562869065890545664

 

[Devil_dog]

Naomi v. Dani Collins 1st round? Whoa.

 

[Devil_dog]

Emma Rads v. Alize C. 1st round? Hmmm.

 

[ttwreader]

Cornet is known as a "giant killer". She beat S. Williams 3 times in 2014, beat Swiatek at 2022 Wimby etc. Will she beat Emma to help turning Emma into a giant (not a one hit wonder anymore?)

 

[ttwreader]

Naomi v. Dani Collins 1st round? Whoa.

D. Collins didn't play any US Open warm up tournament, not sure about her fitness and match fit status. N. Osaka is not anything better but at least she played the latest 2 WTA1000s.

 

[ScottleeSV]

Was Siniakova one of those matches where Rad should have finished it off but lost in about 3 hrs? (there were a few of them I recall). I think she's playing better than that now, and this likely some slightly better conditions too. My guess is she'll lose in Rd 4 to Rybakina in straight sets. It's an optimistic guess maybe.

Serena will be vulnerable in every single match. She might still be rusty as hell against Kontaveit if she gets there. If she gets as far as say, Jabeur, she might be more played in and thus more likely to win. I wouldn't be shocked if she loses to Kovinic though.

 

[bertrevert]

Wait, Venus is playing? oops it's in the draw there... van uytvanck

 

[tennis4me]

I’ve got my radar on Linda Noskova (CZE). She’s ranked #1 in under 18 WTA live rank, ahead of the other younger Czech phenom, Linda Fruhvirtova. Noskova is in the last round of the qualies. Hopefully she makes it to the main draw.

 

[boredone3456]

Stray thoughts

1. If Raducanu makes the QF it will be a miracle. She would need several upsets to happen around her to get there.

2. I feel like whomever wins the likely battle between Gauff/Halep makes the finals in the bottom half. Well Jabeur is also a distint threat down there as well, and I guess Kasatkina.

3. Kvitova has possible the easiest route to the QF, with only Pegula standing in her way.


I could try and predict the R16 matches...but that would be comically bad

 

[boredone3456]

Halep will take it all

I'd say she has a great chance. The Bottom half has very few threats outside of her (Gauff, Kasatkina, Jabeur). I'm looking forward to a match between her and Gauff in the R16.

 

[ttwreader]

Some practices to watch today (Time is EDT)

10:00AM - 11:00AM (on going): Bencic and Jil Teichmann (Court P4)
11:00AM - 1:00PM: Raducanu only for the first hour and with Alexandrova for the next hour (Court P5)
12:00PM - 1:00PM: Haddad Maia and Zidansek (Court P3)
2:00PM - 3:00PM: Rybakina and Zheng (Court P2)

Link to watch live:

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/video/practice-courts/court-p1.html

 

[ttwreader]

Watching Emma hitting balls with Alexandrova now. The court and the ball look customized for her game. She hits very clean balls, on both sides, and is very comfortable at any position on the court.

 

[boredone3456]

Small note. If Alize Cornet actually takes the court, she will set the record for most consecutive major appearances. She currently shares the record with Ai Sugiyama at 62. This would be her 63rd.

 

[flyingboris]

I’ve got my radar on Linda Noskova (CZE). She’s ranked #1 in under 18 WTA live rank, ahead of the other younger Czech phenom, Linda Fruhvirtova.

And more importantly, she very recently beat a Wimbledon finalist!

 

[ScottleeSV]

Noskova through to the mains. I wouldn't want to draw her if I was a seed.

Fruhvirtova taken to a deciding set. Might not make it. We'll see.

 

[ScottleeSV]

Fruhvirtova missed 3 match points and then get hauled off for rain. She's still 5-3 up in the decider but faces a little mental challenge here now.

 

[James P]

4 for 4 so far on the six teens trying to qually into the US Open. Andreeva and Bejlek still to go, the latter down a break in the third.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

I’ve got my radar on Linda Noskova (CZE). She’s ranked #1 in under 18 WTA live rank, ahead of the other younger Czech phenom, Linda Fruhvirtova. Noskova is in the last round of the qualies. Hopefully she makes it to the main draw.

Look at Bejlek too, 16 yo, lefty, fighting Watson and beating her in spectacular fashion to Q. To me, the most shot-talented, for me, because of being lefty and proficient at the net. Noskova seems the most cerebral. Let's not forget about Brenda Fruh and Lucie Havlíčková , who won jr RG this year by beating Bejlek in a very tight F. Still, none of them is "phenomenal," that's for Justine, Steffi, Serena, Hingis.

Noskova is WTA 100, the rest of the bunch are about 200, Havlíčková 576 at 17. This, by playing WTA for over a year each.

Easily, the best current Jr crop of any nation, IMO.

 

[tennis4me]

Look at Bejlek too, 16 yo, leftie, fighting Watson

All 3 Czech teens are through to the main draw! Impressive. Bejlek just won in 3 against Heather Watson 3-6,6-4,7-5.

 

[ScottleeSV]

I feel so sorry for Watson - she had 30-0 when serving for the match and it just got away from her. The game after that she gets a point penalty for telling off a photographer for blinding her mid shot (I think that's what it was - hard to tell without commentary). Got a funny feeling she'll never qualify again.

The young kid looks decent. Hell of a scrapper, albeit the serve is a liability. She'll need to pray she gets taller in the next 2 years. Great acheivement though qualifying on merit at 16.