The US Open kicks off with Day 1 on Monday. 64 women compete on opening day, which means we have 32 matches. As always, we at LWOT are here to share our thoughts on the matches. In addition to this article, we split the other matches between seven other articles. Those articles feature Naomi Osaka vs Marie Bouzkova, Elena Rybakina vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Angelique Kerber vs Dayana Yastremska, Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova, Simona Halep vs Camila Giorgi, Donna Vekic vs Garbine Muguruza, and Madison Keys vs Sloane Stephens. Predicting this set of matches are Tracey Essex, Yesh Ginsburg, and Damian Kust.
US Open Day 1 Women’s Predictions
Barbora Krejcikova vs Astra Sharma
Tracey:
Always known as a superior doubles player, Krejcikova has earned that same level of respect on the singles courts. Indeed, this has been the Czech’s year. Against qualifier Astra Sharma, Krejcikova should find an easy, straight sets win.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 2
Yesh:
Krejcikova doesn’t feel like one of the best players in the world, but she absolutely is. She’s won the French Open and the Tokyo Olympics, and has played very well in between. If you thought her game wouldn’t translate to hard courts, you’d be wrong. It works just fine, and she should move on with ease.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 2
Damian:
Sharma’s been going under the radar since Charleston but she’s definitely a threat. Still, Krejcikova’s mental toughness and ability to win tight matches has been absolutely off the charts in recent months.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 2
Jasmine Paolini vs Yaraslava Shvedova
Tracey:
Paolini had a couple of nice wins in the US Open lead up series. In Cincinnati, she chalked up wins over Anastasija Sevastova and Donna Vekic. In Chicago, she turned in a straight sets win over Misaki Doi, before losing a closely contested Round of 16 bout against Alize Cornet. Shvedova should present a nice proving ground for the Italian.
Prediction: Paolini in 2
Yesh:
Paolini is a talented but often mediocre player who is slowly improving on all surfaces. Shvedova has been awful recently, though, so the Italian should move on.
Prediction: Paolini in 2
Damian:
Even if Paolini isn’t the brightest hard-court player out there, Shvedova’s 2-12 win/loss record this year says it all. The Kazakh hasn’t looked ready for this level since 2016.
Prediction: Paolini in 2
Elise Mertens vs Rebecca Peterson
Tracey:
Elise Mertens is certainly in a rut. Always a consistent contender, the Belgian seems to being having a challenge finding form – and winning matches. While she’s always been consistent at the US Open, she starts against a player who’s enjoying good form. Peterson reached the semifinals in Chicago, boosting the Swede’s confidence. Her momentum against the struggling Mertens should make for a thrilling clash. Expect Mertens to struggle a bit against the Peterson fight. But, here’s where Mertens should stem the losing.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
Yesh:
Mertens is as consistent as they come. Peterson looked really good last week, though, and she’s playing well. The New York conditions aren’t quite the same as Chicago, though, so I’ll default to Mertens.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Damian:
As usual, Mertens is probably a good pick in the early rounds of a Grand Slam. Peterson had a good run in Chicago though and it might be a bit tougher than it usually is for her against lower-ranked opponents.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Magda Linette vs Coco Gauff
Tracey:
Linette had a good showing in Cleveland, knocking out top seed Daria Kasatkina. The Pole earned plenty of confidence from that outing. Extending baseline rallies will be the Linette strategy for this clash. Yet Gauff has learned patience. She’s no longer trying to blast winners at inopportune times. Consider this newfound strategy learning from her past mistakes. Combine that with Gauff’s ability to end points at the net and the match in on Coco’s racquet. If her first serve percentage stays up there and she can avoid an escalating double fault count, Gauff will come though in straight sets. It won’t be easy, but Gauff is the superior player in this contest.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Yesh:
This should be a great match. Gauff is no longer just a young prodigy. She is of course still both young and prodigious, but she’s also far more savvy around the court. She plays with her mind as much as her talent, which makes her incredible dangerous. Linette might have slightly more power, but she doesn’t have the overall game to defeat the American.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
Damian:
One of the most exciting clashes of the first round. Linette has been playing very well since teaming up with Dawid Celt in May, but she’s usually struggling to maintain her best level. Someone like Gauff can punish that.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
