Swiatek and Gauff on course to clash in US Open quarter-finals
There are plenty of tasty clashes ahead in the next fortnight as Iga Swiatek looks to retain her crown
AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic
The draw for the final Grand Slam of the year has been made – and there are some fascinating match-ups ahead in the women’s singles competition at the US Open.
Swiatek’s quarter
Iga Swiatek begins the defence of her US Open title against Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson.
Swiatek has three former Grand Slam champions in her quarter of the draw: the returning wild card Caroline Wozniacki, 11th seed Petra Kvitova, and 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko.
She also has an increasingly familiar foe in there – sixth seed Coco Gauff, who begins against a qualifier, and could be the world No 1’s quarter-final opponent.
- First round: Rebecca Peterson
- Second round: Daria Saville
- Third round: Elisabetta Cocciaretto
- Fourth round: Jelena Ostapenko
- Quarter-final: Coco Gauff
- Semi-final: Elena Rybakina
Sabalenka’s quarter
Aryna Sabalenka’s quarter includes fifth seed Ons Jabeur and Barbora Krejcikova as well as wild card Venus Williams and 25th seed Karolina Pliskova.
The second seed starts her time in New York against Belgium’s Maryna Zanevska.
- First round: Maryna Zanevska
- Second round: Anna Blinkova
- Third round: Karolina Pliskova
- Fourth round: Daria Kasatkina
- Quarter-final: Ons Jabeur
- Semi-final: Jessica Pegula
Pegula’s quarter
Third seed Jessica Pegula opens up against former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Camila Giorgi, and could face seventh seed Caroline Garcia in the quarter-final.
That quarter of the draw also includes former runner-up Leylah Fernandez and former champion Bianca Andreescu, as well as reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova plus Elina Svitolina, who goes in as 26th seed.
- First round: Camila Giorgi
- Second round: Rebecca Marino
- Third round: Elina Svitolina
- Fourth round: Madison Keys
- Quarter-final: Caroline Garcia
- Semi-final: Aryna Sabalenka
Rybakina’s quarter
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina has a tough first-round draw against Marta Kostyuk.
The former Wimbledon champion has a quarter that includes Victoria Azarenka, Belinda Bencic, Roland-Garros finalist Karolina Muchova, and Maria Sakkari, as well as former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who is unseeded.
- First round: Marta Kostyuk
- Second round: Ajla Tomljanovic
- Third round: Sorana Cirstea
- Fourth round: Belinda Bencic
- Quarter-final: Maria Sakkari
- Semi-final: Iga Swiatek
Other first-week matches to watch
Venus Williams is now 43 years old and back at the US Open courtesy of a wild card – and she will face former world No 2 Paula Badosa in the first round, her 24th main draw at Flushing Meadows.
Coco Gauff could face the latest teen sensation Mirra Andreeva in the second round; both need to get past qualifiers.
It would be delightful to see a new instalment of an old rivalry – Petra Kvitova could face Caroline Wozniacki in round two.
