2023 U.S. Open - Women's Discussion

Who will be WTA singles champion for the 2023 U.S. Open?

  • SWIATEK

    Votes: 3 12.5%

  • SABALENKA

    Votes: 4 16.7%

  • PEGULA

    Votes: 1 4.2%

  • RYBAKINA

    Votes: 6 25.0%

  • JABEUR

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • GAUFF

    Votes: 6 25.0%

  • GARCIA

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • SAKKARI

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • VONDROUSOVA

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • OTHER

    Votes: 4 16.7%
  • Total voters
    24
  • Poll closed .
For the 5th straight slam, Pegula for some reason has entered all 3 disciplines at the slams. She has entered the mixed doubles partnering with Krajicek as the top seeds.

The duo were the top seeds at Wimbledon but withdrew prior to the tournament.
They were the top seeds at the French Open but lost 1R.
They were the 2nd seeds at the Aus Open but lost 1R
They were the 5th seeds at the US Open last year but lost 2R.

I really don't know why she does it and risks burning herself out. For someone who is the top seed in ladies doubles, top seed in mixed doubles and 3rd seed in singles, she's never won any slam yet.
 
Speaking of the mixed doubles. Not a lot of the top singles players in action this time round but two big ones to mention.

Coco Gauff will partner Jack Sock in his final tournament.
And
Danielle Collins plays with Ryan Harrison who I thought retired years ago.
 
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Mark-Touch said:
Is it just me, or does Venus look totally washed up tonight?
Everything looks like a labored, slow train wreck.
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counterloop said:
Tough to watch this version of Venus.
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bigjimbofan said:
Venus just can't move. Sad to see. I always liked her. Classy person.
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Aussie Darcy said:
Oh Venus this is just bad. :(
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bluetrain4 said:
Venus, girl, maybe it's time.
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Mr.Lob said:
Chris Evert said she wants Venus to get healthy, get in shape, and come back and play the U S Open next year... show everyone the real Venus Williams.
She on crack or something?
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Literally never seen her play that bad, and to think it was R1 and she should have been ready or at least have SOME KIND of pizazz or desire. She looked like she couldn't care less that she was there it was weird. She had to have not been feeling well at all and was just hoping for a miracle. Sad. She would have EATEN MINNEN UP like chicken pot pie in her prime.
 
Hell, she talked like Greet was young Steffi.

Williams had only the highest of praise for her opponent.

"I really have to give credit to [Minnen]. It was just incredible, honestly," she said. "I mean, if she can play like that, you imagine that she can be in the top 10, or perhaps No. 1, or maybe win a Grand Slam, something like that, if she can play at this level."
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Narrator: She’s not.
 
legcramp said:
No more wildcards for Venus.
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She won a match in Cincy. This gives her the 'Venus Williams Services to Tennis 3 year Wildcard'. Doesn't expire until Cincy 26.

Seriously though, how much damage has she done to her W/L by playing past 35? At least Serena genuinely looked like she could still go far in tournaments even in the final one she played.
 
No_Kwan_Do said:
Why does Raducanu keep getting lumped in with Fernandez's failings? She's played one US Open since 2021 and has been mired by injuries over the past 18 months.

I'm far more inclined to write Fernandez off than I am Raducanu at this point given the former has played enough matches over the last 18 months that she should be starting to stamp her authority on the tour, and yet is sitting almost exactly where she started 2 years ago in the rankings, having not made a tour SF at any level since early 2022.

Raducanu still hasn't had a fair crack at the whip i.e a sustained period of time on the tour where she's not been beset by some injury and has been allowed to develop.
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You're 100% correct.

I'm Raducanu's biggest fan, believe me, but I still like to poke fun from time to time in various harmless ways.

She and Fernandez will continue to be intrinsically linked in many people's eyes until one of them wins something big. It's a very odd thing for two teens to reach the same slam final and then fail to even be top 50 players for years afterwards.
 
ScottleeSV said:
Golden chance for both Boulter and Wang, and it's a coin toss based on what I saw today. Boulter will have top 50 on the line
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Yafan Wang is playing well, I think she won a WTA 125K recently. I was surprised to see her name, I'd forgotten about her as she seemed to take an extended break. She was around when Qiang Wang had her success, and now I have no idea where she has vanished to.
 
Mark-Touch said:
I'm happy Boulter won her match and am glad to see she'll have a chance to get to the 3rd round. :)
The good thing with having a ton of WTA faves is that if one or more lose you've got so many back-ups. :)
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I think going under the radar is what Boulter needs here. She's building on a career high ranking and has some momentum now she's fully fit. Yafan Wang is beatable but shouldn't be taken lightly as she's in form.

Burrage has a tough 2R against Sabalenka - the toughest R2 of all the Brits remaining. Keeping the match close would be a good result in itself. I don't expect too much but she is also at a career high and should go out there swinging.

Miyazaki came through qualies and gets Bencic next who is a tough draw with her consistency. 2R is a big result and sees her at a career high but like Burrage she needs to go for it here and believe she can cause an upset as she has played many sets on these courts the past 10 days or so which is a big positive.
 
canta_Brian said:
I think that’s harsh. She still plays good doubles. The hitting skills are there, but more and more, singles has become a game of running not hitting.
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Taking away a once in a lifetime opportunity for a younger player who actually loves the game and is actually physically able to play that might not ever get another shot makes her trash.
 
Venus needs to be downgraded to qualies WCs now if she can't uphold a top 150 ranking at least. She has proven she can't stay in shape, doesn't play regularly enough to stay in form and I doubt she's even winning half a dozen singles matches per year at this point. Either she transitions to doubles (which I doubt as I can only imagine her regularly playing with Serena) or she retires/becomes a coach.

Venus was one of the players who got me into tennis in the early 2000s but now I don't know whether she genuinely doesn't know what to do beside play tennis/travel the world or she is being a bit delusional that a run of form is just around the corner. I remember her 2017 results being a big surprise... I don't think her body would actually hold up to even make a couple of R3s at majors in a year nowadays so I think it's time for a reality check. I remember years ago the discussion of her W-L record being at risk of being trashed but nowadays she really is adding a dozen or so Ls to her record per year yet can't string 2 wins together.
 
Benf15harp said:
Taking away a once in a lifetime opportunity for a younger player who actually loves the game and is actually physically able to play that might not ever get another shot makes her trash.
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Venus was one of those younger players at one time. She played good enough, as a teenager, to make it on her own merits.
 
Benf15harp said:
Taking away a once in a lifetime opportunity for a younger player who actually loves the game and is actually physically able to play that might not ever get another shot makes her trash.
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You know… Jenn Brady is back after 2 tough years dealing with injuries. She refused to accept WC’s, saying that she wants younger players to have a chance to enter and experience the big stage. How enlightening to hear that. Venus keeps taking them, and many on here advocating it.
 
Throwback match. Kvitova hasn't been in form, Wozniacki has a chance to win.

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Coco at long last showing her aggressive side. I think that Cincinnati win may have done wonders for her confidence. Right now, Andreeva cannot handle her.
 
coolcamden said:
Yes, she seems genuinely nice and almost always cheerful. I like that.
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Kasatkina seems lovely, she really does. Smart, friendly, super cute and super sexy... She's awesome.

Mark-Touch said:
One of the smoothest and most pleasing personalities on court for me is Keys!
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Keys does seem pretty composed out on court, but I get the feeling that a lot of that comes from not really caring anymore. I never get the impression she is pushing to get some big results. Seems like she is just doing what it takes to keep her ranking decent and keep making good money on tour.
Aussie Darcy said:
I really just don't understand what's happened to Krejcikova :(

She's been nothing but hopeless since that stunning run to the Dubai title in February where she beat #8 Kasatkina, #15 Kvitova, #2 Sabalenka, #3 Pegula and #1 Swiatek in 5 consecutive matches to win.
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Truly strange and inexplicable. This sport is very confusing sometimes. Bronzetti should be easily beatable for her.

No_Kwan_Do said:
Why does Raducanu keep getting lumped in with Fernandez's failings?
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Because both were in that final together... where neither of them had any business being there.

Aussie Darcy said:
For the 5th straight slam, Pegula for some reason has entered all 3 disciplines at the slams....
For someone who is the top seed in ladies doubles, top seed in mixed doubles and 3rd seed in singles, she's never won any slam yet.
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Answered your own "question." I was going to make a joke that she is doing it for the money, but clearly she wants to be able to say she is a grand slam champion. Otherwise she will continue to be bothered by the label of a rich girl who just plays tennis because she feels like it.
caranddriver said:
Oh the Venus match was a Greek tragedy. Does anyone else think the Adidas skirts is hideous? So ugly with the random fabrics hanging at different levels and positions.
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Yes, the Adidas stuff is god awful. But that's not surprising. Adidas and Nike haven't had a decent kit for years now. Meanwhile, Lotto keeps pumping out AMAZING stuff for men and women, while getting ignored. Heck, even Yonex has better looking designs than those big two. Djokovic's latest shirt is also one of the ugliest things I have seen in a while.
Enceladus said:
Which testifies to the weak top of the WTA, which "allowed" these two outsiders to play the GS final.
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Yep. So many head cases in the top 5-10 that can choke at any time, and then a few steady players that really aren't dominant but play consistently (Pegula).
ibbi said:
Baby Mirra against Grandma Coco in Roland Garros rematch! Let's gooooooooooo!
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Coco is winning, by Mirra looks like she will be the better player in a couple of years. Looks way better than Gauff did at that age.
 
Mirra needs to improve her FH to become a serious contender, it's an obvious weakness especially on HC, there's too much pressure on the backhand and her game just totally falls apart. It happened several times this year.
 
ScottleeSV said:
Seriously though, how much damage has she done to her W/L by playing past 35? At least Serena genuinely looked like she could still go far in tournaments even in the final one she played.
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She may not care about a W/L stat--only winning majors, which she will never do again. Someone quoted Evert's advice for Venus, which is--of course--ridiculous. Venus will eventually play so long, her majors-winning years will seem like a blink-and-you-missed-it blip.

Aussie Darcy said:
I see Sabalenka had yet another handshake snub, this time at the hands of Zanevska. Seemed to catch Aryna off guard too.

Turns out that although Zanevska plays for Belgium, she is Ukranian born. So I guess that's why the snub.
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More of that BS directed at Sabalenka, when she is not representing a country or policy-maker, or spewing propaganda.
 
Mertens in a major battle in the second set vs. Collins. Lost the first 3-6, already missed two break points to level the match in the second set.

Edit: no dice, Danielle held serve to get to 5-5.
 
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Although the scoreline doesn't show it, these two young ladies are currently very evenly matched.
If both players stay fit and healthy I see a long and competitive battle between the two for the rest of their careers.

At the moment (mostly because of her age and inexperience), the mental part of the game has gotten to Mirra.
After the first game and a half she started to think rather than just play on cruise control. Her confidence quickly became deflated after a few poor points.

This is also her U.S. Open debut.
 
Aussie Darcy said:
For the 5th straight slam, Pegula for some reason has entered all 3 disciplines at the slams. She has entered the mixed doubles partnering with Krajicek as the top seeds.

The duo were the top seeds at Wimbledon but withdrew prior to the tournament.
They were the top seeds at the French Open but lost 1R.
They were the 2nd seeds at the Aus Open but lost 1R
They were the 5th seeds at the US Open last year but lost 2R.

I really don't know why she does it and risks burning herself out. For someone who is the top seed in ladies doubles, top seed in mixed doubles and 3rd seed in singles, she's never won any slam yet.
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She probably hates to practice in-between matches.
 
bluetrain4 said:
Townsend really looks like she's lost some weight. I noticed it earlier this season but it's really pronounced here. She'll always be a "thick" person - that's just her body type. Good for her.
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Love watching her play. Great pace on the ball, often makes the smart play. Great to see her make the next round, winning 7-6(1) 7-5 over Haddad Maia, who was a top 10 player two months back. Impressive!
 
flyingboris said:
Love watching her play. Great pace on the ball, often makes the smart play. Great to see her make the next round, winning 7-6(1) 7-5 over Haddad Maia, who was a top 10 player two months back. Impressive!
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She has some scalps in her career, and she has real skills. But, like SO many players - men and women - she just hasn't had the consistency. I can see her having her most consistent period as a pro in her late 20s/early 30s. I didn't realize her ranking coming into the USO was around 120. With this win she's getting back to auto-entry for Slams range.
 
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Townsend upsets #19 Haddad Maia. Townsend looked very solid/strong. Seems like she's on an upward move in both Singles and Doubles. After all, she was the 2012 ITF Junior World Champion and 2013 Junior Wimbledon Finalist (losing to Bencic). Good for her. She's up to #101 in ranking with this win.
 
On Venus, I know she looked pretty bad, but most of you seem to forget how she looked/played on grass. She was quite impressive and competitive.

THUNDERVOLLEY said:
More of that BS directed at Sabalenka, when she is not representing a country or policy-maker, or spewing propaganda.
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It's just a handshake. You can say the same thing in reverse: not shaking her hand is symbolic, and has nothing to do with the player herself. Sabalenka has nothing to do with the war? Ok, well then not shaking her hand has nothing to do with Sabalenka.
Mark-Touch said:
At the moment (mostly because of her age and inexperience), the mental part of the game has gotten to Mirra.
After the first game and a half she started to think rather than just play on cruise control. Her confidence quickly became deflated after a few poor points.
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Agreed. In terms of game they look fairly even, but you can see that Mirra is still a little immature. She gives away too many free points out of frustration or lack of concentration.
bluetrain4 said:
Townsend really looks like she's lost some weight. I noticed it earlier this season but it's really pronounced here. She'll always be a "thick" person - that's just her body type. Good for her.
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She really is a good tennis player, and it's impressive how much endurance and quickness she manages given her body type. She moves as well as most players, and she isn't getting tired in long matches.
 
D-Lite said:
Venus needs to be downgraded to qualies WCs now if she can't uphold a top 150 ranking at least. She has proven she can't stay in shape, doesn't play regularly enough to stay in form and I doubt she's even winning half a dozen singles matches per year at this point. Either she transitions to doubles (which I doubt as I can only imagine her regularly playing with Serena) or she retires/becomes a coach.

Venus was one of the players who got me into tennis in the early 2000s but now I don't know whether she genuinely doesn't know what to do beside play tennis/travel the world or she is being a bit delusional that a run of form is just around the corner. I remember her 2017 results being a big surprise... I don't think her body would actually hold up to even make a couple of R3s at majors in a year nowadays so I think it's time for a reality check. I remember years ago the discussion of her W-L record being at risk of being trashed but nowadays she really is adding a dozen or so Ls to her record per year yet can't string 2 wins together.
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She reminds me of Jimmy White still playing the snooker tour at 60. Just sad to watch.

I don't know if she's played much doubles the past 10 years (?). She should have devoted herself to that and ditched singles a long time ago. She could have been a really wise old hand for some young doubles specialist to latch onto.
 
D-Lite said:
I think going under the radar is what Boulter needs here. She's building on a career high ranking and has some momentum now she's fully fit. Yafan Wang is beatable but shouldn't be taken lightly as she's in form.
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I hope it doesn't end up a big flat disappointment like when she played Harmony Tan in Wimbledon Rd 3 and probably thought it was a golden opportunity. I think she was favourite that day but only won about 3 games.

Miyzaghi has already lost and Burrage will certainly lose to Aryna, so Boulter's the only realistic shot at a round 3 berth. Hopefully we'll have Raducanu back next year to at least give the UK an outside fantasy of a deep deep run on the women's side.
 
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