Perhaps the best advice to give concerning the 2022 US Open women’s draw is to expect the unexpected.
128 players will battle it out for one of the most prestigious trophies in the world of tennis, as well as a paycheck of $2.6M. There will be plenty of storylines to follow over the next two weeks as Emma Raducanu seeks to defend her title after her historic run in 2021 where she became the first qualifier to lift the trophy.
As with every Grand Slam, trying to take in everything going on is a tough task. To help with this, UbiTennis highlights five key points about this year’s women’s draw.
The newcomers
This year there will be 20 players taking part in the main draw for the first time in their careers. Among them is China’s Zheng Qinwen who is currently ranked 39th in the world after starting the season outside the top 100. Wimbledon quarter-finalist Jule Niemeier will also make her debut after losing in the second round of qualifying at Flushing Meadows 12 months ago. Another player to keep an eye on will be Czech teenage sensation Linda Fruhvirtova who is just 17 years old. Fruhvirtova is also one of eight players who will be playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Full list of US Open debutants: Erika Andreeva (RUS), Elina Avanesyan (RUS), Sara Bejlek (CZE), Anna Bondar (HUN), Jaimee Fourlis (AUS), Lucia Bronzetti (ITA), Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA), Fernanda Contreras Gómez (MEX), Jaqueline Cristian (ROU), Linda Fruhvirtova (CZE), Catherine Harrison (USA), Leolia Jeanjean (FRA), Elizabeth Mandlik (USA), Jule Niemeier (GER), Linda Noskova (CZE), Daria Snigur (UKR), Peyton Stearns (USA), Eleana Yu (USA), Yuan Yue (CHN) and Zheng Qinwen (CHN).
Serena’s last dance
This year’s US Open will mark the end of an era for the formidable Serena Williams who is set to play in the last tournament of her career. In an article for Vogue magazine, she explained that she is starting to ‘evolve’ away from tennis and wants to embark upon other challenges.
Williams is the most successful female player at Flushing Meadows in the Open Era when it comes to matches won. The six-time champion has played 120 matches, winning a record 106. The only other player to have surpassed the 100 victories mark during this period was Chris Evert who reached 101.
2022 will be Williams’ 21st main draw appearance in the US Open. She has never lost in the first round and will be hoping to keep this record going when she takes on Danka Kovinic, who is currently ranked 80th in the world. It will be a tough task for the 40-year-old who has only played five Tour matches over the past 14 months.
What about Venus?
Whilst all eyes are on her sister, some are starting to wonder when Venus Williams will enter into the world of retirement. She has played just two singles tournaments this year and is yet to win a match.
The 42-year-old will be seeking her 80th US Open main draw win when she plays Alison Van Uytvanck in the first round. Venus will be making her 23rd appearance in the main draw which is an Open Era record for a female player. Overall, her win-loss record is 79-19.
Could this year also be the last time tennis fans get to see Venus play in New York?
The players in form
Simona Halep is quietly returning to her best form at the age of 30 which she has previously attributed to working with her coach Patrick Mouratoglou. She has won 19 out of her past 22 matches played. To put that into context, should she win her first round encounter at the US Open Halep would reach her 40th win this season. Something she hasn’t achieved since 2018.
France’s Caroline Garcia has posted similar impressive wins in recent weeks. Winning 26 out of her past 30 matches played. Furthermore, she is the only WTA player this year to have won titles on three different surfaces with her most recent triumph being in Cincinnati. The Frenchwoman is bidding to reach the second week of Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career.
Daria Kasatkina has only reached the US Open fourth round once before but her recent form suggests that she is more than capable of going one step further. Within the past month, she has won titles in San Jose and Granby. Kasatkina is the only player to have won multiple WTA tournaments during the summer hard court swing.
The Grand Slam finalists
The depth of women’s tennis is best illustrated by the fact that a staggering 21 players in the draw have previously played in a Grand Slam final. Out of that number, 15 have won at least one title. The past US Open champions in the field are both of the Williams sisters, Naomi Osaka, Sloane Stephens, Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu. The last player to have defended their title at the New York major was Serena Williams in 2014.
Grand Slam champions in the draw: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep, Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko, Sloane Stephens, Bianca Andreescu, Sofia Kenin, Barbora Krejcikova, Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina.
Grand Slam finalists in the draw: Madison Keys, Karolina Pliskova, Leylah Fernandez, Danielle Collins, Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur.
