5 WTA players to watch at 2022 US Open including Serena Williams, Emma Raducanu

Monday, 22 August 2022 at 23:30

Updated at Monday, 22 August 2022 at 19:33

byAlfredo Bassanelli

The 2022 US Open is right around the corner as the fourth Grand Slam of the season will start on the 29th of August 2022 in New York.

Many WTA stars already travelled to the Flushing Meadows and started preparing for the last Grand Slam of the season. The US Open is a great opportunity for players to break through as Emma Raducanu showed last year.

Although in the WTA draw there are usually many surprises, the favourites of this year's tournament are clear. Iga Swiatek dominated majority of the season and players like Ons Jabeur, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff played their first Grand Slam final this year and it wouldn't be a surprise if they would add another one.

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The list of favourites could include any player in the Top 10 of the WTA Rankings. Paula Badosa, Maria Sakkari, Aryna Sabalenka, Simona Halep and Jessica Pegula are all certainly capable of winning a Grand Slam tournament, but there are also a few names that can cause a surprise in the Flushing Meadows this year.

5. Beatriz Haddad Maia

The 26-years-old player from Brazil has an interesting past as she was suspended due to doping, but in 2022, she's showing her qualities and broke already to the Top 15 of the WTA Rankings.

Beatriz Haddad Maia started the year by winning a Challenger title but she later also added her first two WTA titles when she triumphed in Nottingham and Birmingham. Although, she never got past the second round at a Grand Slam tournament, this year the Brazilian won 43 out of 60 matches she played and she can definitely have a deep run at the 2022 US Open.

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4. Caroline Garcia

Many fans already forgot about the 28-years-old French player as she stated at one of the press conferences in Cincinnati. However, former world number four, Caroline Garcia won three titles this year and returned to Top 20 of the WTA Rankings for the first time since 2019.

She triumphed on every surface this year. It started in Bad Homburg on grass, then in Warsaw on clay and eventually in Cincinnati on the hard court. Especially the last triumph of Caroline Garcia proved that she's back and that she can win big titles.

3. Daria Kasatkina

After three years, Daria Kasatkina entered the Top 10 of the WTA Rankings again and she showed some solid tennis this year. The Russian played semifinals in Rome and Roland Garros and also won the title in San Jose.

Although, she lost already in the first round in Toronto and Cincinnati, Bianca Andreescu and Amanda Anisimova would be challenging players for anyone and the 25-years-old Russian showed many times that she can forget losses very quickly.

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2. Emma Raducanu

The 19-years-old British player isn't considered to be one of the favourites at the 2022 US Open despite being the defending champion. Emma Raducanu lost more matches than she won this year and after she lifted her first Grand Slam title this year, the expectations were set too high for her this season.

However, as she stated many times, she's playing freely and is ready for a 'reset' after the 2022 US Open. And that may be the reason why Emma Raducanu can surprise everyone at the fourth Grand Slam of the season. Moreover, she defeated Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka in Cincinnati and showed that she didn't forget how to play tennis.

1. Serena Williams

127 players in the 2022 US Open draw have won a total of 31 Grand Slam titles combined. And then there's one woman that won 23 Grand Slam titles and she's about to enter the last tournament in her career, attempting to win the 24th Grand Slam trophy and change the history of tennis forever.

Serena Williams played only four matches this season and lost three of them and that's the main reason why she's not considered to be a favourite in Flushing Meadows this year. However, if there's someone who can surprise everyone and win her 24th Grand Slam title on her farewell, it's Serena Williams.