Iga Swiatek over Liudmila Samsonova

Is it possible that the Russian Samsonova will play fantastically and stun over No. 1 Swiatek? Probably not, but Samsonova can sit inside the box and rally forever. She won the Netherlands this year, but other than that, she did not go deep enough. Samsonova is somewhat consistent, but she can also miss the ball too much.

Swiatek has lost here and there, but she also wins a huge amount. She is so strong, and she can also attach all the time. She knows when to put it away and rarely backs off. Swiatek is feeling very good and will win it in two easy sets.

Alex de Minaur over Jordan Thompson

The Aussies haven’t played each other since 2022, on the hardcourts in Miami, and de Minaur won it in two sets. He has beaten him four times, and he only lost one, so clearly, de Minaur is a better player. Veteran Thompson has won some fine matches, especially on the hardcourts, but he has yet to be ranked in the top 25. Maybe he will, or maybe not.  

De Minaur had a solid season in 2024, and he beat some very good people, chopping them down. He is motivated and likes to rally until he can try to explode and put it away. He will do it when de Minaur takes it in four long sets.

Jannik Sinner over Tommy Paul

This is somewhat fascinating, as the No. 1 Sinner has beaten him twice, on the clay and the hardcourts, and Paul beat him on the grass. While they haven’t played each other so much, knowing which way to go was very important. They both can rally in the back and hit it down the line or crosscourt. They can also mix it up and try to fool them. Their first serves are quite good, but the Italians can throw it with big aces. The American Paul has improved so much over the past two years, but so has Sinner, who won the 2024 Aussie Open. Plus, he just won Cincinnati. Sinner is almost on the top to win another gigantic tournament. However, this week, he still has a long way to take it. Regardless, Sinner will win it in five wild sets.

Jessica Pegula over Diana Shnaider 

The American is still going, not pushing around, but trying to be more aggressive and nail it in the lines. Over the past six weeks, Pegula began to find out where to go and bring it back. She truly knows where she can drive it, very deep. Pegula has never won a Grand Slam yet, but she has come into the quarterfinals to beat most people. However, that doesn’t mean she can fold during the critical matches. 

Shnaider is super young, only 20 years old, so clearly, she is rising fast. She likes to try to bash the ball, especially with her terrific backhand, as she is also darn fast. Yes, the Russian has won several matches, winning three titles in 2024, taking Thailand, France, and Germany. Not the biggest ones, but important ones.  It will take her a couple of years to understand what she does, but she is currently ranked No. 20, so she is already phenomenal. However, they did play each other, and Pegula beat  Shnaider 6-3, 6-4 in the semis in Toronto on the hardcourts. Pegula will do it again; this time, she will grab it in three terrific sets.

Caroline Wozniacki over Jessika Ponchet

The Frenchwoman Ponchet has had a terrific week, qualifying, and beating a couple solid players. But Ponchet hasn’t gone very deep at the majors, but she is trying. The former No. 1 Wozniacki is always trying to gain her ground, and to be more aggressive, especially with her so-so forehand. Yes, she is older, but she  likes to play, and she can re-act, over and over again. She did stop for a while back in 2022, to have a baby, and now the 34-year-old is ready to beat a lot of different people. Maybe she will, but this year, she has been so-so. However, when if she can lock in, then she can grind it down. Wozniacki will win it two, simple sets. 

Iga Swiatek over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Will the No. 1 continue to rise up even further? Swiatek just destroyed one of her players, and then she said that it is back on, playing with her her hard strokes. She can bash the ball, and put it away, side to side.

However, Pavlyuchenkova can also be more authoritative. She does like to attack somewhat early, and try to hit it close in the corners. Yet while the Russian has gone deep before at the Slams, but she will trip it up. She could upset Swiatek, but currently, she will out-race her, and she will win it 6-3, 6-4.    

Daniil Medvedev over Flavio Cobolli

Both Novak Djokovic and  Carlos Alcaraz are out, which is a shocker, but they are done, so now maybe the Russian can win it again. Medvedev  is a huge, consistent hitter, but he doesn’t come into the net, much, and while he has won a lot of matches, he also folds. In reality, he does try all the time, but he does get frustrated, and then he slaps the ball way out.

However he is the favorite, but they have never played each other, so it is a new match. The Italian, Cobolli, is clearly rising, and while he is still learning, he beat a number of some solid players. The No. 31 reached into the final in Washington, which was terrific, as he pushed himself when he had on the hardcourt. His forehand and his backhand are solid, but he still needs to improve his serve and his return. Medvedev can read with there strokes, and see what he should to. On Saturday, Medvedev will grab it in four, entertaining, sets.

Alex de Minaur over Daniel Evans

The Aussie de Minaur  is playing so wonderful, even when he is missing some simple shots. He will just play on, knowing that very soon, his forehand and his backhand will climb up again. Over the past two years, he improved a lot, with his return and also, at the net.

Evans has also been super solid, week after week. Yes, he can lose, but he plays all the time, so he can focus, wherever he  feels good. He does like to rally, and also, he can leap on the lines. The No. 10 de Minaur wants to go all the way at the Slams, and maybe he will, but first he has to chop down all comers. He will on Saturday, beating Evans in a marathon, 7-5 in the fifth.

Jannik Sinner over Alex Michelsen

The young American Michelsen is moving upwards, hitting the ball even harder. He is 6-foot-4, and his forehand is hefty, but right now, he still needs to improve his return and backhand.

The No. 1 Sinner can be in trouble when dealing with a potential suspension. But he managed to stay at all the tournaments, so now, he must focus constantly. When he is on, he is a phenomenal player and can put it away when he has to. The sinner has played a good amount, and it is early so that he will smash Michelsen ASAP. He will win it in three fast sets.

Jessica Pegula over Sofia Kenin

Already, it is a war.  Pegula has had an excellent month, winning in Toronto and reaching the final in Montreal. She was very good, beating almost all of them, hitting more aggressively and early, too. She was locked in, side to side. When she is on, she can take down almost anyone, but over the years, in the Grand Slams, she can panic.

Kenin can do the same thing as she did once, winning the 2020 Australian Open. Then, she was locked in, and her confidence was so high. However, the next year, she started to slip, and she lost her control a lot. Then, she decided to stop to understand why she failed. Now, Kenin is back, but she can still fold, yet her forehand and backhand are powerful, and she can paint on the lines.

They have played each other four times, and it is split. Now, it is different because they want to go even further into the second week. They both think that if they can stay in the rallies, whoever can nail it into the corners and take a winner. It will be three sets, but Pegular will raise again, and she will win it 7-5.

Naomi Osaka over Karolina Muchova

They haven’t played each other since 2021, so it is a new day. Osaka has twice won four Grand Slams, including the US Open, so she loves New York. She is a gigantic hitter and will go for it early, but this year, she has been so-so. Maybe she is finally back.

Muchova is also rising again because the Czech became hurt, but the veteran can look very solid and going super deep at the Slams. Last year in the US Open, she reached the semis until Coco Gauff out-hit her with her massive backhand. However, Muchova can change up some new tactics, so she will try to fool Osaka. Yes, there will be some fantastic rallies, and while Osaka will miss some crazy shots, out, yet still, she is more powerful. Osaka will win it in three bizarre, cool sets.

Carlos Alcaraz over Boticvan Van de Zandschulp

The Spaniard can look terrific, but as he mentioned, he is not perfect, match after match. Yes, Alcaraz can hit many shots, with his topspin, his slice, and flat. He is quick, and he can also engage with his rallies. 

This has not been a good year with Van de Zandschulp, who reached No. 22 two years ago, but then he stopped. Maybe the Netherlands can add more exciting shots, but Alcaraz will crush him in three sets.

Sebastian Korda over Corentin Moutet

The American Korda has re-shaped his strokes, not all of it, but enough. Over the past two months, he tried to nail it deeper and sharper, cross-court. Yes, Korda can back off, and he will lose it early, but now, he is more stable. 

The Frenchman Moutet does have a thoughtful blend, and he can throw it all around, too. He can spin it, chop it and flatter it out, too. However, while Moutet has scored some fine wins, he isn’t high enough. Therefore,  Korda will win it in four sets.

Tommy Paul over Lorenzo Sonego

Each week, with Paul, it is possible that he can go very far or will lose somewhat early. He did win Queens on the grass, and he also reached the semis at the Olympics, grabbing a bronze. That is pretty, darn good. However, even though the No. 14 is right there to go super deep at the Slams, he has only done that once, at the 2023 Aussie Open, into the semis. Yet at the US Open, he once went into the quarters, and that is it. The time is right.

However, Paul has to deal with the Italian, Sonego, who just won the Winston-Salem Open. There were not many great players, but some were fine competitors.  Sonego is a veteran, and he has had some solid wins, but Paul is more steady now so that he will win it in four thoughtful sets.

Emma Raducanu over Sofia Kenin

Will the American Kenin finally play fantastically, set after set? Maybe not, as she went down for a long time, but can the 2020 Australian Grand Slam champion find in on the corners and explode? 

However, the other Britain, Raducanu, won the 2021 US Open, and then she was locked in. She was patient, and she would go for it in a second when she had a chance. Unfortunately, she got an injury, so she looks pretty good now, but not phenomenal yet. 

They are still young, and they have not played each other much, so perhaps there will be some different shots. Kenin will try to push her back, but she still gets nervous, and in the third set, she will make some key shots. That is why Raducanu will take it in three wild sets. 

Jasmine Paolini over Bianca Andreescu

The Italian has had a tremendous year, winning many matches, even against very good players. Paolini can hustle, and she can also mix it up, side to side. She is intense and thoughtful. 

However, the Canadian Bianca Andreescu also likes to rally, and then when she has an opportunity, she can try to paint on the lines. Five years ago, she won the 2019 US Open and stunned Serena Williams in the final. Then, it looked like that she would eventually become No. 1, but she hurt her knee. But when she returned, she did it again, wrecking her ankle. Now, Andreescu looked decent but not fantastic yet. 

How Paolini finally changed her tactics and her touch was tremendous, as she reached the finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The 28-year-old is much more calm on the court, and she can re-adjust it, too. However, she has never gone into the third round at the US Open so that she will be solid this time. Paolini will grab it in three bizarre sets. 

The American women certainly have a chance to win it in New York, but there are some intense competitors, with the No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu, all who won it, here. However, the US people want to nail it, and snare it. Here are the top 32: 

No. 3: Coco Gauff

At the 2023 US Open in the final, she won it over Aryna Sabalenka, and it looked like that she would win it even more, with the Grand Slams. Yes, she has had some terrific matches this year, but right now, she did not win another major, so she can look very good, but her forehand is still up and down. At the 2024 Roland Garros, she lost in the third round, and she did some weird shots. She is still very young, so she should get better, gradually, at the net and return, but to win it at Flushing Meadows, she has to press on the gas. As Emma Navarro said,  “She’s getting constant attention, all the time, and that’s a lot to deal with. I have a lot of respect for her and how she handles that.” 

No. 6: Jessica Pegula 

She had two terrific tournaments at Toronto and Cincinnati. She won it in Canada, and in the United States, she was able to grind it, and nail the ball, but in the final, she went down versus Sabalenka. She was exhausted in the second set. However, Pegula really wants to win a Slam for the first time, as the 30-year-old wants to push herself when it is deep. She has yet to make into the semis at all, at the Slams, but she has been close, so this time, maybe she can change with some different strokes. She needs to serve better, and also, to attack more often. If she does, she will at least into the semis, or better. She hopes.

No. 11: Danielle Collins

She will retire at the end of the year as her body is wearing down, but other than that, the veteran has had a fantastic year in 2024, winning Miami and Charleston in April. The 30-year-old loves to hit the ball so hard, and she can go for it. When she is on, she can almost beat anyone, but the reason is that she has yet to win a Slam. The reason why was in the final at the 2022 Australian Open, and the steady Aussie, Ash Barty, Collins missed a couple of huge shots, and then she fell down. However, since the last time at the US Open, she will have a chance to go into the second week and then leap up in the air. She might not win it all, but she can have a legitimate opportunity to chop down some of the fine competitors. But she has to prove it, and dig deep.  

No. 13: Emma Navarro

She has had a tremendous year, with much more focus during the matches. She is now consistent, and she is more real when she goes for it, into the corners. However, she can lose when she is off, missing to crush it, out. She needs to serve harder and move it around where she will go. She really wants to go into the top 5, but even more, she certainly wants to win a Slam, soon. Believe it or not, she hasn’t won a match at the US Open, yet. She might go deep, but to win it now, that would be surprising.

No. 14: Madison Keys

She is just so hard to figure out if she can play more frequently, like now, she gets hurt, and she pulls out, all of the time. Yes, in May, she won Strasbourg, France, without losing a set. Her first serve, her forehand and her backhand are gigantic, but then, at Wimbledon and Toronto, she pulled out when she was injured. Yes, she went deep at the 2017 US Open into the final, but she couldn’t take it, as Sloane Stephens played tremendously. Keys can look phenomenal, but she hasn’t played much over the past month, so it looks like she will lose early.