Tennishead’s guide to the 2022 US Open – Five American women to watch out for
From late August into September each year, arguably the most famous city in the world plays host to arguably the most energetic Slam tournament. As home talent looks to harness that special energy, we take a look at five women who could win it all at this year’s US Open.
Jessica Pegula
While not the flashiest player on the WTA tour, Jessica Pegula has quietly been building a thoroughly impressive record in recent seasons, especially this year.
The 28-year-old is the current American number one, ranked eighth in the world, and is actually third in the race to qualify for the elite WTA Finals come the end of the season, only trailing world number one Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur.
Pegula has reached the quarter-finals of a Slam on three occasions, her best results on the biggest tennis stage, two of those coming in 2022.
Moreover, a seeding of eighth would mean Pegula would not face a player ranked higher than her before the quarter-finals in New York.
Coco Gauff
A more attention-grabbing contender, Coco Gauff has already made it to a Major singles final still aged just 18, losing to world number one Swiatek in the French Open final in June.
Fifth in the WTA race, she is the only teenager currently among the top 25 in contention to qualify for the 2022 WTA Finals.
She will be seeded 12th in New York as she hopes to become the youngest US Open champion since none other than a 17-year-old Serena Williams in 1999.
Madison Keys
A former US Open finalist, Keys, 27, reached the championship match at the 2017 event, facing fellow American Sloane Stephens in the final there.
Stephens won that day, becoming the most recent American player, man or woman, to win the singles in New York.
Keys has a career-high of seventh in the world to her name and is currently 20th in the world coming into the US Open off the back of an appearance in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open.
Amanda Anisimova
Another young talent, Anisimova, 20, is a former junior US Open champion, defeating Coco Gauff in the final of the 2017 event.
Though she is yet to make the second week at Flushing Meadows, the world number 24 recorded her best Slam result since 2019 by reaching the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in July.
Serena Williams
Yes, we know Serena is now 40 years old and has played just four singles matches in a year heading into her farewell appearance in New York.
Still, she is Serena Williams, and few people would ever totally discount the 23-time Major champion from any event she enters.
Should she pull off the incredible and win the tournament, Serena would boast 23 years between her first and last Slam triumphs, having won her first Major at the previously mentioned 1999 event.
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