Tennis legend Martina Navratilova believes there is one “key factor” why Aryna Sabalenka is the favourite ahead of Iga Swiatek for this year’s US Open.
Swiatek is the top seed ahead of Sabalenka for the final Grand Slam of the year as she has been at No 1 in the WTA Rankings since the start of the year, but most people have tipped the Belarusian to win the title at Flushing Meadows.
The two-time Australian Open champion is on a high after winning the Cincinnati Open and she defeated Swiatek in straight sets en route to lifting the WTA 1000 title.
Eighteen-time major champion Navratilova is one of those who feel the hard-hitting Sabalenka will be the player to beat at the US Open as she will be “fresher than everybody else” as she didn’t compete at the Paris Olympics.
Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen all featured on the clay at Roland Garros while Sabalenka played at the Citi DC Open.
For sure [Sabalenka is the favourite],” Navratilova told the official WTA website. “Last year’s final might have been the worst match Sabalenka’s played in any big match, and she will have learned her lesson – and will be extremely motivated.
Cincinnati. She’s fit – and I think a key factor is that she didn’t play the Olympics.
“So she’s fresher than everybody else. No scar tissue from Paris. Swiatek expended that energy, and so did Zheng Qinwen. Sabalenka will be chomping at the bit, for sure.”
But that doesn’t mean Swiatek can be discounted as the Pole is a former champion in New York as she won the title in 2022 and she also lifted the French Open title earlier this year.
Swiatek, though, did suffer a knock at the Paris Games as she “only” won bronze despite the tournament being played on her favourite clay surface.
“I mean, for Iga, the only person who can really hit her off the court is Sabalenka. Rybakina, maybe on grass, but not on hard courts,” Navratilova added.
“Iga’s forehand on the hard court really pays off, so that levels the playing field against Rybakina. Against Sabalenka, Iga has better tools to deal with her, to neutralise her, than anybody else.
“She’s been working on her serve, getting more free points on that. I think the Olympics was just way too much pressure because she was such a favourite on the clay, and that can play games with your brain. So I wouldn’t worry about the Olympic result that much.”