Superstars Abound as Women’s US Open Singles Draw Announced

The women’s draw for the 2024 U.S. Open has finally been revealed, per the event’s official Twitter/X account:

World No. 1 Iga Świątek’s bracket also includes world No. 6 Jessica Pegula and No. 11 Danielle Collins of the U.S., No. 16 Liudmila Samsonova of Russia, No. 18 Diana Shnaider of Russia, 17-year-old world No. 21 Mirra Andreeva of Russia, No. 25 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and No. 31 Katie Boulter of England.

As the top seed in her group, Świątek will square off against a player who has advanced through the tournament qualifiers.

The Polish-born Świątek, 23, is seeking her second U.S. Open title and her sixth major overall. She first won the event in 2022, beating Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the final. Świątek has already won four French Open championships since 2020, including three straight since 2022.

The 5-foot-9 superstar’s $31,576,991 in career earnings already make her the ninth-best compensated player on the court in the history of the women’s game.

For world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the stiffest competition in her bracket looks to be world No. 7 Zheng Qinwen of China, the gold medal winner at this year’s Olympics.

World No. 12 Daria Kasatkina of Russia, U.S.-born No. 14 Madison Keys, and No. 24 Donna Vekić of Croatia could also give Sabalenka and Qinwen a run for their money.

Because world No. 17-ranked Jabeur has withdrawn from the competition, she will be replaced by current world No. 34 Elise Mertens of Belgium, per Adam Zagoria of Forbes. Mertens will be playing in Sabalenka’s bracket.

Sabalenka, winner of the last two Australian Opens, fell to Coco Gauff in last year’s U.S. Open final — the 26-year-old’s best finish thus far in this tournament.

Defending U.S. Open champion Gauff, 20, is looking to defend her lone Grand Slam championship this year.

Gauff has enjoyed a solid run in majors this year that included an Australian Open semifinal berth, a French Open final loss to Świątek, a Wimbledon fourth-round appearance, and a third-round upset at the Olympics. The 20-year-old also collected her first Grand Slam doubles title at this year’s French Open, alongside new partner Katerina Siniaková.

Read More: Olympics Tennis: Coco Gauff Left in Tears After Being Swept Out of Third Round

Gauff will be joined in her bracket by world No. 8 Barbora Krejčíková of the Czech Republic (this year’s Wimbledon champ), No. 9 Maria Sakkari of Greece, No. 13 Emma Navarro of the U.S., No. 19 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, among a few other ranked players.

Former world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, now the No. 20-ranked player in the game, is looking to add her third Grand Slam.

World No. 4 Elena Rybakina’s quarter will also feature world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini of Italy (who fell to Świątek in this year’s French Open finals), No. 10 Jeļena Ostapenko of Latvia (the 2017 French Open champ), and No. 15 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia.

Among other ranked players, the group will comprise No. 22 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, No. 23 Leylah Fernandez of Canada, No. 28 Caroline Garcia of France, and world No. 30 Yulia Putintseva of Russia.

Former Australian Open champion and world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki is also playing through Rybakina’s group. Wozniacki’s best finish at a U.S. Open was a pair of finals appearances in 2009 and 2014, though she lost on both occasions. Wozniacki retired from the game, briefly, in 2022, though she un-retired midway through the next season.