WOMEN TO WATCH AT THE US OPEN
SIMONA HALEP (ROM)
Age: 26
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US27,003,715 ($A36.79 million)
Career titles: 18
Grand slam titles: 1 (French Open 2018)
US Open win-loss record: 16-8
Best US Open result: semi-finalist 2015
The world No.1 has been the most consistent performer this season and enjoyed an impressive lead-up with a 10-match hard-court winning streak from Montreal to Cincinnati.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN)
Age: 28
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US28,880,173 ($A39.35 million)
Career titles: 29
Grand slam titles: 1 (Australian Open 2018)
US Open win-loss record: 35-11
Best US Open Open results: finalist 2009, 2014
The two-time finalist is seeded for another charge to the championship and arrives in New York in the best headspace of her tumultuous career, having finally shed her tag as best player without a major after winning in Melbourne.
SLOANE STEPHENS (USA)
Age: 25
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US11,587,053 ($A15.72 million)
Career titles: 6
Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2017)
US Open win-loss record: 15-5
Best US Open result: champion 2017
The American enjoys a career high-ranking after proving her Flushing Meadows triumph last year was no fluke with a charge to her second grand slam final in nine months, falling to Halep in a three-set thriller in Paris.
ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER)
Age: 30
Ranking: 4
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US26,582,016 ($A36.06 million)
Career titles: 12
Grand slam titles: 3 (Australian Open 2016; Wimbledon 2018; US Open 2016)
US Open win-loss record: 23-9
Best US Open result: champion 2016
The revitalised former champion returns as a serious threat after crowning her comeback from a disappointing 2017 season with a memorable Wimbledon final triumph over Serena Williams.
PETRA KVITOVA (CZE)
Age: 28
Ranking: 5
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US26,962,263 ($A36.58 million)
Career titles: 25
Grand slam titles: 2 (Wimbledon 2011, 2014)
US Open win-loss record: 23-10
Best US Open results: quarter-finalist 2015, 2017
The sentimental favourite is back as a title force after collecting a tour-best five titles in her comeback season after suffering a hand injury in a shocking pre-Christmas stabbing attack in 2016.
SERENA WILLIAMS (USA)
Age: 36
Ranking: 26
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US86,383,301 ($A117.19 million)
Career titles: 72
Grand slam titles: 23 (Australian Open 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017; French Open 2002, 2013, 2015; Wimbledon 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016; US Open 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)
US Open win-loss record: 89-11
Best US Open results: champion 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
The American superstar is bidding to join Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Kim Clijsters as only the fourth woman in 50 years of professional tennis to win a grand slam singles crown after falling a win shy at Wimbledon.
BEST OUTSIDER
NAOMI OSAKA (JPN)
Age: 20
Ranking: 19
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US3,232,734 ($A4.39 million)
Career titles: 1
Grand slam titles: 0
US Open win-loss record: 12-5
Best US Open result: quarter-finalist 2015
Victories in 2018 over Halep, Williams, Kerber and fellow former world No.1s Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams and Victoria Azarenka, along with a breakthrough title at Indian Wells, are more than enough to suggest the Japanese sensation is a grand slam champion in waiting.
BEST AUSTRALIAN HOPES
ASHLEIGH BARTY
Age: 22
Ranking: 16
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US3,671,660 ($A4.98 million)
Career titles: 2
Grand slam titles: 0
US Open win-loss record: 0-2
Best US Open results: third round 2017
The comeback star has maintained her place in the top 20 with a solid 2018 season highlighted by a second career title in Nottingham and will be seeded to better her run to the last 32 last year.
DARIA GAVRILOVA
Age: 24
Ranking: 24
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US3,337,598 ($A4.53 million)
Career titles: 1
Grand slam titles: 0
US Open win-loss record: 1-3
Best US Open result: second round 2017
The temperamental talent has yet to reach a grand slam second week outside of Australia but decent showings at the French Open and Wimbledon indicate a breakthrough is just around the corner.
