The 2024 US Open is yet to start, but the 2024 WTA Tour is practically over. Aryna Sabalenka defended her Australia Open title early next year. Iga Swiatek won her fourth French Open title last summer. And Barbora Krejčíková won her first Wimbledon title last month. Not one of these top female players will win the US Open. Some tennis fans may find it exciting, but it doesn't excite the others. And women's tennis is struggling to attract the sponsors. We;ll discuss it further later.
Iga Swiatek's 2024 season may not have matched her 2022 season, where she won two major titles. She still maintains a commanding lead over the top players in the women's tour. Furthermore, the Polish ace player is on track to become the best female player on clay. She could've been the female counterpart of Rafael Nadal, but she settled for bronze in the recently-concluded 2024 Summer Olympics. Those who bet on her couldn't get over it, but the red clay of Roland Garros is anything but predictable.
Let's start with the honor roll
Iga Swiatek won five titles this season. That number is likely to increase, as she will participate in the China Open next month and the Wuhan Open this October. She's also the first player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals.
The Pole may not have dominated the tour in a way that Martina Navratilova did from 1983 to 1984, or Steffi Graf in 1988, but she's getting there. In fact, many analysts think she'll achieve a career Grand Slam before she hangs up her tennis racquet. It didn't happen this year, but it might be a different narrative next season.
Kateřina Siniaková cemented her place as one of the greatest doubles players after winning her third Wimbledon doubles titles with Taylor Townsend. It was the first team up between the Czech doubles specialist and the American veteran player. Prior to Wimbledon, Siniaková captured her third French Open title with Coco Gauff. Many doubles fans reminded Siniaková of Martina Navratilova, another tennis great from the Czech Republic.
Siniaková, a native of Hradec Králové, may not come close to Navratilova's 31 Grand Slam doubles titles, but she and Krejčíková are the only female doubles team to achieve a Career Golden Slam. We expect her to partner with a different player in the US Open. We're guessing Jessica Pegula.
It would be unfair to say that Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini didn't benefit from some top players changing partners last season, as the Italian pair reached the finals of the Australian Open and the French Open. They won the Italian Open and then the Olympic gold medal (in Roland Garros).
The combination of experience and youth proved to be too much for most doubles teams (in the women's tour). As a matter of fact, Errani and Paolini are one of the favorites (in the women's doubles) in the US Open. The pair are likely to play in the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The pair will finish on top whether they win another title or not.
Many fans would object to our pick, as they figured that Paolini deserved it more. Zheng Qinwen, who is coached by former Spanish pro Pere Ribal, reached the finals of the Australian Open. She almost made it to the second week of the French Open. And then she scored a huge upset over Swiatek in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Qinwen, who resides in Barcelona, Spain, is only 21 years of age. Most fans couldn't help but compare her to Li Na. We don't see Qinwen slump next season.
Fans thought that Krejčíková was a one-slam wonder, but we were one of the few who disagreed with it. Krejčíková and Siniaková have accomplished a lot in the doubles, such that it would be impossible to not let those results on singles. Krejčíková won her second major crown at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which not a few fans thought was unlikely during the first week. It happened to Markéta Vondroušová, another top Czech player, last year. We predict Krejčíková winning her third major title in Flushing Meadows. Next year? .
Renzo Furlan is a former Italian professional player who coached Jasmine Paolini to a stellar season. Paolini is a diminutive player, which would make Furlan's efforts more impressive. Paolini is runner-up in Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Can Furlan guide Paolini to her first Grand Slam title next season? We hold our breath on this one.
Who will win the 2024 US Open? Coco Gauff (USA)
Who should win? Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
Dark horse: Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
We see Iga Swiatek reaching the second week of the 2024 US Open, but we predict an off day during her fourth-round match or quarterfinals. On the other hand, the press followed Coco Gauff's young career. She has a good chance of defending her US Open, and the US Open series. successfully.
It was unfair that a camera man videoed Sabalenka smashing her tennis racket after losing the last year's US Open finals to Gauff. The two-time Australian Open winner wanted it badly, but a few points decided that tense match. Don't count her out. Yet. Last but not the least, Paolini might reach her third successive Grand Slam finals in Flushing Meadows. Many tennis fans wouldn't bet on her, but she had done a lot this season.
The 2024 WTA Finals will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 2-9. This is how the leaderboard looks like at this very moment:
Alternates:
Danielle Collins will retire at the end of the season, so the year-ending WTA Finals would be a perfect ending to her best season in the tour. Świątek will defend her WTA Finals title successfully.
Your thoughts?
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