US Open [Women], 2021 - Grand Slam

[Moxie]

DATE: August 30 - September 12, 2021
SURFACE: Hard
TOTAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT: $57.5 million
FIELD SIZE: 128
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Naomi Osaka

Seeds:

1. Ashleigh Barty
2. Aryna Sabalenka
3. Naomi Osaka
4. Karolina Pliskova
5. Elina Svitolina
6. Bianca Andreescu
7. Iga Swiatek
8. Barbora Krejcikova
9. Garbine Muguruza
10. Petra Kvitova
11. Belinda Bencic
12. Simona Halep
13. Jennifer Brady
14. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
15. Elise Mertens
16. Angelique Kerber
17. Maria Sakkari
18. Victoria Azarenka
19. Elena Rybakina
20. Ons Jabeur
21. Coco Gauff
22. Karolina Muchova
23. Jessica Pegula
24. Paula Badosa
25. Daria Kasatkina
26. Danielle Collins
27. Jelena Ostapenko
28. Anett Kontaveit
29. Veronika Kudermetova
30. Petra Martic
31. Yulia Putintseva
32. Ekaterina Alexandrova

The Tournament:

The 2021 US Open will be the 141st edition of the tournament and will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park of Queens in New York City, New York, United States.

The tournament is an event run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is part of the 2021 ATP Tour and the 2021 WTA Tour calendars under the Grand Slam category. The tournament will consist of both men's and women's singles and doubles draws, as both doubles draws will return to standard 64 players, as singles players will remain in standard 128 person format in each category. There are also singles and doubles events for both boys and girls (players under 18).

The tournament is played on hard courts and takes place over a series of 15 courts with DecoTurf surface, including the three existing main showcourts – Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium and Grandstand.

About New York City:

The US Open is back to 100% capacity this year, after having no fans last year. And the City is back to something like normal. Outdoor dining is a charming new tradition, the museums and galleries are open, as are the beautiful botanical gardens. Theatre and concerts are still limited, but the city has come roaring back to life. Tourists abound. Shopping, as always, is one of the city's greatest offerings, both high-end and low, Sotheby's to street fairs.

Always unexpected is the beauty and proliferation of the beaches. From the kitchy and urban ones, like Coney Island and Far Rockaway, accessible by subway and ferry for a mere $2.75, to the more wild and remote beauties of Robert Moses State Park, Fire Island, and Jones Beach.

This year is the 20th anniversary of September 11th, which falls on the day of the women's final. Expect some solemnity. But, overall, the mood should be festive, with crowds to cheer the tennis, and so much of the city open to enjoy. Although the tournament will miss Serena and Venus Williams this year.

Tourism Guide:

 

[tented]

The Draw:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the USO on her doctor's advice,to completely heal her torn hamstring.

 

[kskate2]

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the USO on her doctor's advice,to completely heal her torn hamstring.

I expected she wouldn't play when she didn't show up at a warmup. Her ranking will tumble as she got to the Finals of Wimby, Canada and the USO in 2019. All those points are coming off this year.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I expected she wouldn't play when she didn't show up at a warmup. Her ranking will tumble as she got to the Finals of Wimby, Canada and the USO in 2019. All those points are coming off this year.

I honestly feel her chance of tying with Court has now passed her by,I thought at Wimbledon this year would be her best chance,injury forced her to retire.Serena will be turning 40 next month,I wonder if the 'hunger' is still there to try to tie with Court's record.Will Serena play at the AO 2022? at present the AO will still have a 'bubble' for players and will have to quarantine for 2 weeks.

 

[kskate2]

I honestly feel her chance of tying with Court has now passed her by,I thought at Wimbledon this year would be her best chance,injury forced her to retire.Serena will be turning 40 next month,I wonder if the 'hunger' is still there to try to tie with Court's record.Will Serena play at the AO 2022? at present the AO will still have a 'bubble' for players and will have to quarantine for 2 weeks.

Agreed. Knowing how she feels about doing things her way, if she's healthy I can see her playing it so that she can go out on her terms instead of being forced out due to injury.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Venus Williams has just announced she has withdrawn from the USO.Venus says she has been having leg issues this Summer,and has decided to withdraw.

 

[Moxie]

Venus Williams has just announced she has withdrawn from the USO.Venus says she has been having leg issues this Summer,and has decided to withdraw.

Tennis Channel said today that if you wanted to go back to a Major without Serena, Roger or Rafa, you'd have to go back to 1997, I think. They said, without Venus, even further. Oh, well. I'm still holding out hopes for Serena to win one more. Because she's Serena.

 

[Moxie]

This is directly related to Serena not showing. Vee doesn't want to play w/o her there.

They also said Vee was taking dating applications. I guess she's not engaged to that young media mogul anymore.

Do you really think so? Meaning that Venus is not playing because Serena isn't? That does seem a stretch to me, in terms of a competitive players, especially one who has limited Slams left to play.

 

[kskate2]

Do you really think so? Meaning that Venus is not playing because Serena isn't? That does seem a stretch to me, in terms of a competitive players, especially one who has limited Slams left to play.

They are very close. Vee is still on tour because Serena is chasing 24 and they want to retire together. She was given a WC 2 weeks ago and she didn't withdraw then. They moved her to the main draw on Mon when Flipkins withdrew, she said nothing. She played a match in Chicago on Mon. She didn't look hampered to me, just outplayed by Shieh. Still she didn't say anything. After Serena withdraws, Vee does a few hours later.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Tennis Channel said today that if you wanted to go back to a Major without Serena, Roger or Rafa, you'd have to go back to 1997, I think. They said, without Venus, even further. Oh, well. I'm still holding out hopes for Serena to win one more. Because she's Serena.

Serena will lose more points,as a result of the tournaments she has played,up to USO in 2019,she is ranked no 20 now and will fall even further.I really think Serena's chances are over to tie Court's record,I felt her best chance was at Wimbledon this year,then she had to retired injured.Serena will be 40,getting over injuries does take time when your older.

 

[Moxie]

They are very close. Vee is still on tour because Serena is chasing 24 and they want to retire together. She was given a WC 2 weeks ago and she didn't withdraw then. They moved her to the main draw on Mon when Flipkins withdrew, she said nothing. She played a match in Chicago on Mon. She didn't look hampered to me, just outplayed by Shieh. Still she didn't say anything. After Serena withdraws, Vee does a few hours later.

You don't have to tell me that they're close. I still find that hard to believe.

 

[AnonymousFan]

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just when she was getting her over injury...now this.

 

[tented]

I've added the draw.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I cant stop laughing AP is not going to like this a first rd match is Madison Keys vs Sloane Stephens....oh well that is the draw for you.( this was the women's final in 2017,when Sloane won her GS title).

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Projected Q/Finals,
Barty (1) vs Swiatek (7)
Osaka (3) vs Svitolina (5)
Pliskova (4) vs Andreescu (6)
Sabalenka (2) vs Krejcikova (8).

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Players to watch out for, that are not in the Top Ten at the USO,
Kerber,Collins,Bencic, and I am also going to add Jill Teichmann after her great r/u at the Cinncy tournament.,defeating seeded players to the final.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova just tweeted she finally got her visa,and is on her way to the USO.

 

[kskate2]

Draw seems a bit balanced as there are 2 former USO champs in each section (Stosur, Bebe) in top, (Kerbie, Osaka) in the other. Although the bottom seems a little more heavy in star power and dark horses like Coco, Collins and Ons.