SkySports tennis commentator James Buttler takes a look at the US Open contenders in the Women's Singles at Flushing Meadow.
As the US Open gets underway in New York on Monday, the quest for the final Grand Slam of the season is a fairly open contest in the Women's Singles.
The first three Slams were won by different names. Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open, Iga Swiatec, the French Open, and Barbora Krychikova took the Wimbledon title.
So, who wins the US Open this time around?
Iga Swiatek 4/1
Swiatek looked below par in Cincinnati last week, but the world number one starts as the favourite at Flushing Meadow. She would have been disappointed with the Olympic bronze on her favourite clay court surface.
On hard courts, like the US Open, she's been nowhere near as dominant at Grand Slam level, with just two forays past the Last 16, although on one of those occasions, she did win the US Open in 2022, to add to her four French Open titles.
I think she's one to oppose, though, at 4/1.
Elena Rybakina 10/1
Rybakina has played the US Open five times, but has never progressed past round three. She's another one to oppose this fortnight.
Coco Gauff 8/1
Gauff is the defending champion, but she hasn't reached those dizzy heights in 2024, with her only WTA title coming in Auckland way back in January. She's 9/1, will be buoyed by the crowd, but I'm going to oppose her too. She's not been playing well enough to back.
Aryna Sabalenka 3/1
My pick to lift the trophy this time would be Sabalenka at 3/1. She's won the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024, and was the beaten US Open finalist last season. She was resting during the Olympics, and has enjoyed success in the American hard court swing, including a WTA 1000 level win in Cincinnati last week. She's my pick and I think she lifts the trophy.
A bigger US Open price
An outside tip is Emma Navarro. The world-ranked number 13 American has beaten Sabalenka on hard courts this season and she won her maiden WTA title in Hobart earlier this year. At 50/1, she's worth an each-way nibble.
It's Aryna Sabalenka at 3/1 to win the US Open and Emma Navarro each way at 50/1 for me.
Gamble responsibly, enjoy the tennis. I'll be back throughout the fortnight to update as we go through.