By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK (Reuters) -A clash of generations and styles will be on display when the U.S. Open kicks off on Sunday, with past and present champions Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff leading the field in a wide open women's draw.
The established order of world tennis will be eager to pull rank when they collide with a host of emerging talent at Flushing Meadows, where no woman has claimed back-to-back titles since Serena Williams lifted the trophy for a sixth time in 2014.
With
rising stars such as Victoria Mboko and Mirra Andreeva crashing the party, and seasoned contenders fine-tuning their tactics, fans will be in for a rollercoaster ride in New York.
Defending champion Sabalenka has triumphed in Brisbane, Miami and Madrid this season but frustratingly has failed to add to her Grand Slam haul, losing to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final and to Gauff in the Roland Garros showpiece.
"She's gotten to the end of these big tournaments, but the nerves have got in the way," ESPN commentator Mary Joe Fernandez said during a conference call.
"We'll see if mentally she puts it together. If she plays well, obviously look out."
With her number one ranking on the line, Sabalenka's biggest threat could be 2022 winner Swiatek, who ruthlessly demolished Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 in the Wimbledon final and won the Cincinnati tune-up tournament.
It has been a welcome return to form for six-time major winner Swiatek, who had failed to reach a Grand Slam final for over 12 months before her triumphant run at the All England Club.
"Swiatek for me is the one to beat. I wouldn't have said that before Wimbledon," said Fernandez.
"For her to get her mojo back, get her game back, her extreme grips, the way she moves, I think has changed everything. Now having won in Cincinnati I think has given her another big boost."
POSITIVE ENERGY
The seemingly indefatigable Polish player showed up on Arthur Ashe Stadium only a day after collecting the Cincinnati trophy, as she and Norwegian partner Casper Ruud finished as runners-up in the U.S. Open's reimagined mixed doubles event.
"It's much easier when you win a tournament because you have a lot of positive energy and adrenaline," Swiatek told reporters in New York.
"It's kind of nice for the recovery, as well, to have another task and to, like, not let yourself be lazy but also focused on the next exciting thing."
Gauff's chances of adding to her 2023 title are more difficult to predict after a year in which she enjoyed the high of triumphing at Roland Garros before quickly crashing back down to earth following a humbling first round exit at Wimbledon.
The 21-year-old's defeat by Canadian teen sensation and eventual champion Mboko in Montreal ended up being a wake-up call for Gauff as she made the stunning decision to split with coach Matthew Daly just days before the year's final major even though she has yet to find a way to rein in her erratic serve.
If Gauff has any hopes of emerging victorious in New York, she will have to quickly fix her misfiring serve, which produced 42 double faults in just three matches in Canada.
That tally included an astonishing 23 double faults -- almost a set's worth of points -- against Danielle Collins in the second round as she won her first match since the French Open final.
Mboko, who defeated four-times Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in the Montreal final, is one of several fresh faces looking to make an impact as she catapulted herself from 350th in the rankings at the end of 2024 to 24th.
The fifth-ranked Andreeva landed on everyone's radar after the then-17-year-old was crowned the youngest WTA 1000 champion in Dubai in February.
She showed that was no fluke as she went on a remarkable run at Indian Wells, beating Swiatek in the semi-finals before outlasting Sabalenka in a three-set final thriller.
Other names to watch include world number nine Anisimova, who beat Jelena Ostapenko for her first WTA 1000 title in February at the Qatar Open, making her mark after a prolonged mental health break from the sport.
The U.S. Open main draw begins on Sunday.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
