Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka lift US Open titles as Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek falter – our predictions
An intriguing US Open is approaching its closing stages.
We’re at the quarter-final stage of both the men’s and women’s singles draws in New York, with 120 players gone from each – and just eight left in the race to the title.
The men’s draw has been defined by two shock results, with third seed Carlos Alcaraz and second seed Novak Djokovic crashing out within 24 hours of each other.
However, world No 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner is still standing, as is fourth seed Alexander Zverev and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev – all of whom were leading contenders coming in.
The biggest exit in the women’s draw was that of Coco Gauff, who was beaten in the fourth round of her US Open title defence.
But outside of that, it has largely been business as usual, with big-hitters Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jessica Pegula all still in the draw.
Ahead of the final six days of action, we make our predictions.
Medvedev beats Sinner – and strikes in New York again
Three years ago, Medvedev stunned Djokovic to win his first Grand Slam title at the US Open.
It comes as a huge shock that he has not added to that since then, but he may not get a better chance to become a two-time Slam champion – and we think he’ll take it.
The former world No 1 has dropped just one set so far and looked in sublime form in his fourth round match, dropping just four games against Nuno Borges.
A quarter-final against world No 1 Sinner will not be easy, with the Italian having turned the tide significantly in their rivalry over the past twelve months.
But the Russian beat the top seed at this stage of Wimbledon and, at the Slam he feels most at home in, he is capable of doing so again – and then capturing the title.
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Sabalenka seals hard court Slam sweep
Twelve months ago, Sabalenka won the Australian Open title and was then beaten in the championship match in New York.
This year the world No 2 successfully defended her title in Melbourne, and – having backed her pre-tournament – we still expect her to finally win her first US Open crown.
The former world No 1 has dropped just one set on her way to the last eight and is on a nine-match win streak following her Cincinnati Open run a few weeks ago.
Sabalenka’s path is not easy – starting with a quarter-final against Zheng Qinwen – but she has not dropped a set to the Chinese previously.
The Belarusian is the form player on tour in recent weeks and should be able to hold that momentum.
Zverev reaches second final
Zverev was the runner-up at the US Open in 2020, and at the French Open just a few months ago.
And while we are not predicting him to ultimately break his Grand Slam duck, a third Grand Slam final looks more than possible.
Of course, it will not be easy for the fourth seed; he faces Taylor Fritz, who beat him at Wimbledon, in Tuesday’s quarter-final, before a semi-final against Frances Tiafoe or Grigor Dimitrov.
But the conditions in New York suit the German greatly and he has been in solid form all year – it will be a difficult task to stop him.
Swiatek to stumble in trick path
Swiatek’s hard court pedigree has been unfairly maligned in recent weeks, with some clearly forgetting she is a former US Open champion, alongside being the reigning Indian Wells and WTA Finals champion.
The world No 1 has not dropped a set to reach this point and has looked sharp in recent matches, though things get a lot tougher for her.
She faces Jessica Pegula in the last eight, and potentially Karolina Muchova in the last four – before a hypothetical final against Sabalenka.
All three of those match-ups can trouble her, and we predict she will be beaten at one point.
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