As many people already know, the Women’s draw is not counting on a number of top 10 players, such as Svitolona, Halep and Barty. This will make the path to the final seem a bit easier on the surface. Make no mistake though, there are some dangerous and exceptional players lurking in the early rounds which can go deep and shatter championship dreams for top players. Here’s a look at some of these players and their potential matchups.

Round of 16: Naomi Osaka vs (14) Anett Kontaveit: This will be a blockbuster matchup and a rematch of their high-quality lights out quarterfinal at the Cincinnati Masters. Osaka won that match in three tough sets. Anett Kontaveit is the real deal. At 24 years old, many had predicted she would have a breakout season in 2019. Unfortunately for her, it fell short of expectations. That being said, she came out strong in 2020 with a quarterfinal appearance at the 2020 Australian Open. She followed that performance with her quarterfinal showing at the Cincinnati Masters. Playing some exceptional tennis, she will give Naomi Osaka, arguably the odds-on favorite to win the tournament, all she can handle.

Round of 16: (1) Pliskova vs. (13) Alison Riske: Pliskova will be seeking her first Grand Slam, whereas Riske will be seeking to continue the strong form she showed in 2019, where she finished 19th in the world. She made the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2019, and there’s no reason to think she will not give Pliskova everything she can handle in the round of 16. Riske has experience, plays smart, and will be in her home tournament. Upset alert.

Round of 16: (10) Muguruza vs. (7) Madison Keys: This will be a matchup worthy of a final. Muguruza is back to the form that brought her multiple Grand Slams. Madison Keys is a former US Open finalist who is always a threat on the hard courts of North America. Expect a hard-hitting match, with Madison pulling it out in three sets.

Quarters: Azarenka vs. (2) Sofia Kenin: Azarenka has come out of the pandemic with renewed energy. During the Cincinnati Masters she showed us why she is a multiple Grand Slam winner and a former number 1 player in the world. Expect her fine form to continue at the US Open, and if it does, there’s a potential matchup with this year’s woman of the moment, Sofia Kenin. Kenin is a fighter and won the Australian Open this year, sending shockwaves all around the WTA. As the number 2 seed, Kenin is now playing as a favorite instead of an underdog. How she will handle that pressure will depend on how she handles big time matches such as this one during a two-week Grand Slam. I smell an upset if this matchup.

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