The 2017 US Open women’s draw was unveiled Friday at the US Open Experience in Seaport District NYC, providing little clarity in what is shaping up as the most wide-open field in years.
Only one of the Top 5 seeds (Garbiñe Muguruza) has ever won a Grand Slam singles title, and of the four past US Open women’s singles champions in this year’s draw, only one (defending champion Angelique Kerber) has captured the crown in the past decade.
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With that as backdrop, here’s a closer look at the four quarters that will make up this year’s chase for the Tiffany trophy:
The Halep Quarter
Why lead with the No. 2 seed’s quarter of the draw? Because the No. 2 seed has drawn one of the biggest names in women’s sports in the opening round.
Second-seeded Simona Halep will face off against wild card and 2006 US Open champion Maria Sharapova in what is sure to be one of the most highly anticipated first-round matches in tournament history. The winner has a favorable draw into the quarterfinals, with last year’s surprise quarterfinalist, Anatasija Sevastova, and No. 22 seed Peng Shuai standing as the most likely opposition.
Halep is seeded to face No. 7 Johanna Konta in the quarters, but there are a number of dangerous floaters in her part of the draw. The feisty No. 11 seed Dominika Cibulkova looms as a fourth-round matchup for the Brit, as do No. 21 seed and 2016 US Open quarterfinalist Ana Konjuh, 2015 finalist Roberta Vinci and two of the draw’s most potent unseeded players, Sloane Stephens and Ashleigh Barty.
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The Muguruza Quarter
Rounding out the bottom half of the draw is the quarter helmed by reigning Wimbledon and Cincinnati champion Muguruza, the popular pick to win this year’s Open. The Spaniard, however, is just 2-4 in her four trips to Flushing Meadows, providing a glimmer of hope to the rest of the players in this group of 32.
The headline challengers here are fan favorites Venus Williams, the No. 9 seed, two-time US Open champion and the only woman to reach two major finals in 2017 (Australian Open and Wimbledon), and Caroline Wozniacki, the No. 5 seed and two-time US Open finalist who has advanced to six WTA finals this season. They would meet in the round of 16.
The other seeds in this quarter are No. 13 Petra Kvitova, No. 18 Caroline Garcia, No. 24 Kiki Bertens and No. 29 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Among the unseeded, the names to watch include 2008 US Open finalist Jelena Jankovic, 2016 gold medalist Monica Puig and past US Open semifinalist and lefty Ekaterina Makarova, who could make a strong push for the semis should she get past Wozniacki in the second round.
The Pliskova Quarter
Karolina Pliskova enters the 2017 US Open with little buzz, but the No. 1 seed and reigning US Open finalist is in prime shape for a deep run and will be a heavy favorite in this quarter. Standing in her way are potential round-of-16 foe No. 14 Kristina Mladenovic and quarterfinal opponent No. 8 Svetlana Kuznetsova, with the 2004 US Open champion enjoying a surprisingly fine season at age 32.
This quarter is also home to a trio of Americans who have the potential to make runs: No. 20 seed CoCo Vandeweghe, veteran Alison Riske and the fast-rising CiCi Bellis. Vandeweghe and Riske play in the opening round. The winner could advance to a potential third-round matchup with No. 10 seed Agnieszka Radwanksa, the crafty Pole who has, surprisingly, never made it past the round of 16 in Flushing Meadows.
Looming as a dangerous unseeded opponent in this quarter is Lucie Safarova, the big-hitting lefty who faces rising star Anett Kontaveit in the first round and could face off with Bellis in an entertaining second-round affair.
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The Svitolina Quarter
Elina Svitolina has well-earned her No. 4 seed on the strength of a WTA-best five titles this season. Still, all eyes in this quarter will be on defending champion and No. 6 seed Angelique Kerber.
There is reason for hope for the other players in this quarter, however. For all her talent and success on the year, Svitolina has never advanced past the quarterfinals of a major, and her best performance in New York is the third round. Kerber, meantime, has yet to beat a Top 20 player in 2017.
Should they stumble, a pair of big-hitting rising stars could be there to take their place. Surprise French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko is a potential fourth-round matchup for Kerber, and Stanford champion Madison Keys of the U.S. would stand in Svitolina’s way in the same round. Other notable players in this quarter include former Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard, former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, 2016 US Open girls’ champion Kayla Day and the perpetually underrated No. 28 seed, Lesia Tsurenko.
First-Round Matchups to Watch
(2) Simona Halep vs. Maria Sharapova
A first-round match with the feel of a semifinal, this doubles as a wonderful contrast of styles, with the big-hitting, 6-foot-2 Sharapova trying to drive through perhaps the most determined and talented retriever in women’s tennis in the 5-foot-6 Halep. The biggest question mark here is Sharapova’s health. She has played just one match since May, withdrawing from Stanford after her first-round win over Jennifer Brady.
(21) Ana Konjuh vs. Ashleigh Barty
Barty is one of the best tennis stories of 2017, a former top-ranked junior who quit tennis to take up professional cricket, only to return in 2016 after two years away. Still only 21, Barty has risen from No. 325 at year-end 2016 to No. 42 entering the Open and should be a stern test for the 19-year-old Konjuh, who will be looking to back up her run to the quarterfinals here a year ago.
Sloane Stephens vs. Roberta Vinci
These are two of the most entertaining players in women’s tennis, with Stephens bringing her speed and shot-making to the table against the beguiling Italian. Stephens played excellent ball this summer, reaching the semifinals in Toronto and Cincinnati, and she would appear to be the favorite. But Vinci, as shown in her 2015 upset of Serena Williams, is one of the best problem solvers in women’s tennis.
(13) Petra Kvitova vs. Jelena Jankovic
This matchup of Grand Slam finalists pits Kvitova, still working her way back from a career-threatening hand injury suffered during a break-in at her home in late 2016, against Jankovic, the 2008 US Open finalist and former world No. 1. Both have struggled coming in, but for the bold-faced names alone, this bears watching.
(20) CoCo Vandeweghe vs. Alison Riske
Vandeweghe is a phenomenal talent enjoying her best-ever season, with a semifinal finish at the Australian Open, a quarterfinal showing at Wimbledon and two heroic Fed Cup performances. But the Californian is prone to bouts of wildness. If her big serve is off in this one, the steady Riske could take advantage and spring the upset. But if Vandeweghe is on, this could be the first step in a deep Flushing run.
