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Aryna Sabalenka +240 (bet $100 to win $240)
Reigning champion Coco Gauff has struggled in recent weeks, losing in the second and first rounds of the two tournaments she entered.
The 20-year-old American has the necessary tools for a long run, but US Open favorite Aryna Sabalenka also happens to be in the bottom half of the field.
Sabalenka, who lost to Gauff in the final of the 2023 US Open – the only hard-court Grand Slam she has lost in her last four attempts – is currently in a league of her own.
The 27-year-old enters the tournament fresh from a dominant Cincinnati Open season in which she did not drop a single set.
Unlike the lower half of the draw, the upper half is not a one-on-one battle.
Iga Swiatek is considered the favorite, but it would be unwise to rule out the rest of the field, which includes players such as No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina, 17-year-old prodigy Mirra Andreeva and two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka.
Despite the challenges that stood in Swiatek’s way, the world number 1 has shown time and again that she does not shy away from a challenge in the most important moments.
In the end, the former US Open champion will probably advance to the final and face Sabalenka.
Prediction: Sabalenka against Swiatek in three sets.
