- Top seed exits
- Gauff in gritty comeback win
- Sabalenka favourite with the bookies
Iga Swiatek’s quest to defend her US Open title was halted by a remarkable performance from Jelena Ostapenko in the round of 16. And Coco Gauff demonstrated her potential as a contender for the US Open title with a gritty victory over Caroline Wozniacki.
Ostapenko in superb win over Swiatek
Swiatek, the top-seeded player from Poland, fell to the 20th-seeded Latvian, Ostapenko, in a thrilling contest that ended 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Ostapenko’s fearless and aggressive style of play saw her hit 31 winners and put Swiatek under constant pressure.
The defeat marked the conclusion of Iga Swiatek’s impressive 75-week run as the women’s world number one, with Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka poised to take over the top ranking following the US Open.
Swiatek expressed her surprise at the drastic shift in her performance during the match. Normally, when she struggled, it was at the start of a match, and she would gradually find her rhythm or solve problems as the game progressed. However, this time, it was the complete opposite, and she felt a loss of control over her game.
Gauff fights back to seal quarter-final spot
Swiatek had lost all three of her previous encounters with Ostapenko, but the pair had not faced off since February 2022. After that last meeting, Swiatek embarked on an incredible 37-match winning streak, which catapulted her to the top of the WTA rankings, a position she had maintained until her recent defeat.
Ostapenko, who had previously clinched her lone major title at the 2017 French Open, moved on to face American sixth seed Gauff in the next round after the 19-year-old American ground out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Wozniacki. She fought back against a resilient Wozniacki,whose remarkable comeback run came to an end in this match.
Gauff’s strong performance in recent tournaments, including wins in Washington and Cincinnati, had bolstered her confidence and positioned her as a formidable competitor in the US Open.
Betting Implications
With Swiatek out Sabalenka is favourite with the bookies, bet365 offering 11/4 at the time of writing.. Gauff’s excellent form sees her as second favourite, 12/5 with bet365 ahead of Karolina Muchova 11/2 and Marketa Vondrousova. Ostapenko is currently priced at 8/1 with the Stoke bookie alongside Jessica Pegula and ahead of Ons Jabuer (16/1). Odds are subject to change.
