4. Champion
Haresh Ramchandani: With Maria Sharapova out, there are two main contenders for the women’s title – World No. 1 Serena Williams and World No. 2 Victoria Azarenka. For all her domination on the tour this year, the 31-year-old Serena has won only one Slam title in 2013 and will be eager to win another. Maybe just a little too eager. Azarenka comes into the Open with a win over Serena just this past weekend and I think that momentum will see her through if the two meet again in the finals. I’m tipping Azarenka to win her first US Open title.
SivaramL: With the unfortunate withdrawal of Maria Sharapova, the women’s draw has lost some spice (or should I say ‘sugar’?). But the overwhelming favourites are still the women who clashed in the final at Cincinnati. Only an idiot would count Serena Williams out but given the fact that Victoria Azarenka almost got her in the final here last year and defeated her in Cincy last week, I’ll try being an idiot. My prediction: Vika to win the final in three sets.
Virendra: Should I just say Serena Williams and get it over with? Fact – Serena has 8 singles titles to her name this year. Fact – she has a remarkable 60-4 win-loss record this season. Fact – the US Open was the first Slam that she won and has won it a total of four times, including last year. So why am I picking Victoria Azarenka to win it? For one, she ran Serena real close in last year’s final and if not for some nerves, should have pocketed the title. She also happens to be one of the few players on tour who can take advantage of Serena’s lapses in concentration, as demonstrated recently at Cincinnati.
Roh: The way she’s been playing this year, there’s only name that fits this slot – Serena Williams.
Ram Narayanan: Never mind what the draw looks like – it must be remembered that the World No. 1 Serena Williams is a bit of a wounded tiger right now, having lost to Victoria Azarenka in the Cincinnati final. She is going to bounce back strong and Vika may find out soon that beating the American twice in a row is no joke. Serena, with the crowd support behind her, looks unlikely to lose this tournament unless someone comes up with an unbelievable game, which I do not see happening.
BallnRacquet: Serena Williams has played some of her best tennis in the recent few months. Her sublime form has set her a class apart from her peers and she enters the tournament as a crushing favourite to defend her title. In the absence of any Wimbledon-like episodes, her only threat will be Cincinnati winner Victoria Azarenka.
Sumer: The one thing that Serena Williams does best is come back better and stronger, and after her lacklustre Cincinnati final defeat to Azarenka, we may see her do just that. Serena should be extra motivated to get her hands on the trophy for a fifth time. While we may not see the traditional ease she shows in dispatching her opponents, her fighting spirit will likely be on full show; with a comparatively easy draw, Serena, in my opinion, will be crowned the 2013 US Open champion.
Musab Abid: Victoria Azarenka may have defeated Serena Williams in their last two hardcourt matches, but it’s tough to see her repeating that feat on the biggest tennis stage in the world. She couldn’t do it last year (despite serving for the match), and this time, she will have the added disadvantage of facing a revenge-on-her-mind Serena. Facing that version of Serena has never ended well for anybody.
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