US Open preview: Who is most likely to knock off Aryna Sabalenka?
Yahoo Sports Daily hosts Caroline Fenton and Jason Fitz are joined by former pro tennis player and broadcaster Patrick McEnroe to preview the women's US Open. Watch the full episode of Yahoo Sports Daily on YouTube or YahooSports.TV .
Video Transcript
Aryna Sabalenka is looking to become the first woman to win three straight US Open titles since Serena Williams did it.
Are you taking Sabalenka or the field?
You know, I'd go with the field.
I mean, Sabalenka just lost last night in Cincinnati.
She's, I think she's lost a little bit of her edge.
You see there she got upset last night.
I watched a match, ended late last night in Cincinnati.
I mean, she's one of the favorites, but I'm not gonna say she's the odds-on favorite, the solid favorite.
You got Coco Gauff.
You've got Elena Rybakina, who won in Australia this year, beating Sabalenka in the final.
You've got, Iga Swiatek, who I think is playing some really good tennis this summer.
She won in, in Canada.
I like the way she's kind of retooled her game.
So the women's, tournament, I'm not gonna say it's wide open, but it's a little more unpredictable generally than the men's tournament, especially w- if you have Sinner and Alcaraz healthy.
But this is a, this is a tourna- last year, y- you mentioned, Sabalenka won the US Open for the second time.
She hadn't won a Major last year, so she sort of salvaged her year in New York.
Can she do it again?
Absolutely, she can.
She still loves hard courts.
She's still got the best overall record on hard courts in the last couple years on the women's tour.
But something's just a little amiss with her.
And, and I saw that last night.
The intensity, the motivation doesn't seem to be quite where it was.
Amanda Anisimova looked like, looked like maybe she was drinking a beer in the middle What do we make of Amanda- drinking a beer during the match?
I think she was having some Red Bull there, is, is what I can understand.
But, yeah, it did look like it was a little I was like, "Uh, that looks tasty."
but you know what?
Amanda Anisimova, I'm glad you showed that because she's someone that I predicted a year ago would win a Major this year.
Because she made the Wimbledon final last year.
She made the US Open final last year, losing to Sabalenka.
She's been a little banged up this year as far as injuries go, so she's been a little bit in and out, but she's playing awesome now.
She had a huge couple wins the last couple days.
So whatever she's drinking there appears to be working.
So I would say, Amanda, keep drinking it.
And she's another American that I think could make some noise at the Open.
Look for Eva Lys Yovch as well, who's another young up-and-comer from California.
We're loaded.
We're stacked on the ladies' side.
And don't forget about Jessica Pegula trying to finally win her first Major.
She's, you know, the family's worried about the new stadium up in Buffalo with her pa- you know, her family owns the Bills.
But she's doing pretty well.
She's been close to winning a Major.
That would be a great story for Jessica Pegula, 'cause she's one of the most, the hardest working, well-liked players in women's tennis.
She's been knocking on the door for a while.
Maybe this is her time to break through, and then she can go up and celebrate with the opening of the new stadium in Buffalo.
