Six women who can go all the way at Flushing Meadows

(Getty/Maddie Meyer)

Women's tennis has garnered a reputation for unpredictability over the past decade.

In the years since Serena Williams last ruled the roost, several players have taken over the mantle of the world's best, but these spells of dominance have been interspersed with several shock winners, including at Grand Slams.

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek have largely brought an end to the period of surprise first-time winners, claiming eight of the last 14 Slam events between them.

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Coco Gauff has also become a multi-time Grand Slam champion during that time, as the women's game has reestablished itself with an established core of favourites heading into each major event.

Sabalenka, Świątek and Gauff are the bookmakers' picks with the US Open second week about to commence.

Aryna Sabalenka

The defending champion is, of course, a safe pick for this year's tournament, having lost just two Grand Slam singles matches on a hard court in the past three seasons.

Those two defeats were both in finals, reflecting an extraordinary consistency and quality of performance from the Belarusian.

Sabalenka though, entered this year's tournament far from her best, having played just three events since her defeat in the Roland-Garros final and failing to reach the final at each of them.

However, her composure in both tiebreaks against Polina Kudermetova and former finalist Leylah Fernandez should make the rest of the field stand up and take notice.

Iga Świątek

Wimbledon champion Świątek, on the other hand, has looked back to her imperious best in recent months.

Having won her sixth Grand Slam title on London's grass courts, the Polish phenom already has a big title to her name this North American hard-court swing, winning Cincinnati without dropping a set.

Given Sabalenka's recent struggles pre-tournament, Świątek has her best chance yet to claim a second title in Flushing Meadows.

Trailing 1-5 in the first set against Anna Kalinskaya in the round of 32, the 24-year-old flipped the match on its head in a way only she knows how... coming back from the brink to close it out in straight sets.

Coco Gauff

Returning to the site of her first Grand Slam win, Gauff isn't in the same positive headspace that saw her win the title in her own backyard. Similarly to Sabalenka, the last few months have been far from smooth sailing for the top-ranked American.

A forgettable grass season, followed by earlier than expected exits in both Montreal and Cincinnati, has left serious doubts as to Gauff's level, and her shaky service games in her wins against Ajla Tomljanović, Donna Vekić and Magda Linette in the past week, registering 22 combined double faults, are cause for concern.

In saying that, her experience and talent are enough to still trouble anyone on her day.

Elena Rybakina

Perhaps second only to Świątek in terms of recent form, Rybakina has looked back to her deadly best over the past month.

Reaching the semi-finals at all three events she has played since Wimbledon (and losing to the eventual champion in each), the Kazakh has claimed several impressive scalps, most notably defeating Sabalenka and Madison Keys in Cincinnati.

A player who has failed to reach the lofty heights many envisaged for her when she first burst onto the scene, Rybakina seems as well-positioned as ever for another tilt at a Grand Slam title.

Her third round demolition of in-form Brit and 2021 champion Emma Raducanu, where she conceded just three games, was a statement victory ahead of another potential deep run at a major.

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Jessica Pegula

Last year's finalist, Pegula, has put together a typically understated 2025 season.

With three titles and 37 wins to her name, underestimate the world No.4 at your peril.

A matchup against fellow countrywoman Ann Li, who knocked out Aussie qualifier Priscilla Hon in straight sets, shouldn't present too many issues for Pegula on Arthur Ashe Stadium, as she bids to go one better this time around.

Naomi Osaka

Labelling Osaka a dark horse at a hard-court Grand Slam event would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago, but much has changed since the 27-year-old was at her Grand Slam-winning best. 

Approaching five years since her last major title, Osaka has struggled to reclaim her status as one of the sport's premier players.

Yet the Japanese star has realised some of her best tennis over the past few days, having dropped her first set of the tournament against Australia's Daria Kasatkina.

Coming off the back of a final in Montreal, where she played close to her fearsome best at times during the week, Osaka could well be ascending back towards the game's summit.

The legendary Kooyong Classic returns to the Australian summer of tennis in 2026 – 13^th-15^th January at the spiritual home of Australian tennis. The big names are coming – Rune, Musetti, Bublik, Khachanov, Berrettini and more. 

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