A Reigning Champion Under Scrutiny
Aryna Sabalenka arrives at the US Open as the defending champion and world number one, but her status as the clear favorite is being openly challenged. Former American pro John Isner and longtime British commentator Annabel Croft have both pointed to Coco Gauff as the more compelling pick to lift the trophy at Flushing Meadows this year.
Sabalenka's recent form has raised legitimate questions. Over her last six tournaments, she reached just one semifinal, at the Berlin Open. That run stands in sharp contrast to this time last year, when she was riding a wave of momentum that carried her to a dominant title victory over Amanda Anisimova in the final.
Croft, who watched Sabalenka dominate the hard-court spring swing with wins at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, noted that the Belarusian has noticeably lost the intimidating presence that once made opponents feel beaten before the match even started. That psychological edge, Croft argued, has faded alongside her results.
Gauff's Momentum Shifts the Conversation
Isner, speaking on the Nothing Major podcast alongside co-host Steve Johnson, made a pointed case for Gauff. He noted that last year she entered the US Open carrying real uncertainty around her serve, which made for genuinely uncomfortable viewing even as she went on to win. This time around, Gauff arrives having reached the semifinals in Canada and then winning the Cincinnati title outright.
Isner believes the mental weight that plagued her early rounds in New York last year has lifted considerably. Johnson added that while the women's draw is unusually open, with perhaps ten or twelve realistic contenders, Gauff's consistency and competitive reliability make her the natural pick.
Sabalenka will open against Camila Osorio, with Iga Swiatek and Anna Kalinskaya both present in her quarter of the draw. TennisDraw users have been closely split on whether Sabalenka can reclaim the title or whether Gauff finally takes center stage again.
