Top five female players to look forward to in US Open

Star player Serena Williams has pulled out of the tournament.

The final Grand Slam of 2021, the US Open is around the corner. So naturally, all eyes will be on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. This will be the 140th edition of the tournament and will have some big names battling it out for the coveted trophy.

Though the absence of Serena Williams has taken away some excitement and glamour from the tournament, there is no shortage of big names who are more than worthy contenders. Let's take a look at some of those names who can win the coveted trophy.

5. Belinda Bencic

Belinda Bencic might be the surprise package in this year's US Open tournament. The World No. 11 does not yet have a Grand Slam to her name. But her performance at the Tokyo Olympics has surely given her confidence to win big matches. The 24-year-old from Flawil won a gold medal for her country and became the first Swiss woman to do so in the singles category.

Moreover, Bencic's best career performance came right here at the Flushing Meadows. She reached the semi-finals of the tournament in 2019. Bencic will definitely look to ride her momentum and put up a strong performance in the tournament. She could produce some surprising results this year.

4. Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka has got all the required credentials to win the US Open tournament. She is the second seed in the tournament and with a total of 7010 points, she is also above the defending champion Naomi Osaka in the WTA rankings. The only thing missing out on her resume is that Grand Slam seal.

Sabalenka has been more successful as a doubles player than a singles competitor. She will really have to be more precise this year to do justice to her ranking. The Belarusian has all the tools in the trade and has been in great touch this year, reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon. The Belarusian fans would love to see her winning a trophy.

3. Bianca Andreescu

Bianca makes her much awaited return to the US Open in 2021. The Canadian became a sensation after winning the US Open crown in her debut as a teen. Moreover, she defeated Serena Williams in straight sets in the finals.

Andreescu has a 100% success rate in this tournament. She has a win-loss ratio of 7-0 in New York. She will be more than eager to repeat her champion act in the tournament. Having missed out on the tournament last year amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the return to the Flushing Meadows might just act as fuel to her fire.

2. Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is undoubtedly going to be the most watched out player at the US Open in 2021. The Japanese superstar is already a two-time US Open champion, more than anyone on this list of players. She enters the competition as a defending champion and will look to retain her title.

Osaka has been through a rough patch this year. Though she started the year fantastically with a victory at the Australian Open her struggles with mental health came to the fore. She withdrew midway in the French Open even after winning her opening game. On top of that, the Japanese star also pulled out of the Wimbledon citing mental health concerns.

However, Osaka put all of that behind her when she stepped back on the court at the Tokyo Olympics. Though the medal eluded her, she showed that she is finally getting better. A trophy at the US Open would please her global fanbase immensely.

1. Ashleigh Barty

Barty is the top seeded player in the tournament and a unanimous favourite to win the title. She leads the ATP rankings with 10185 way ahead of second seed Aryna Sabalenka. Moreover, she hasn't missed a beat this year. After reaching the quarter-finals in the Australian Open, she followed it up with her maiden Wimbledon title victory.

Additionally, Barty also won a bronze medal in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics. So this would be the perfect year for her to give her best performance at the Flushing Meadows. She already has a doubles title at the US Open but can she do it in singles? We will find out soon enough.

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