WOMEN’S PLAYERS TO WATCH

Karolina Pliskova

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■ 16 3

Czech Republic 28

singles titles:

0

17-4 U.S. Open record over past four years, plus semifinal run at 2019 Australian Open, shows what she’s capable of on hard courts.

■ Could play 28th-seeded American Jennifer Brady in the third round; Brady won her first WTA title at the hard-court tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, this month.

Aces: Matchup to watch for: Sofia Kenin Ranked: Country:

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■ 5 21 4 U.S.

Grand Slam singles titles: Aces:

1 Never been past the third round at Flushing Meadows; also never played at a Grand Slam tournament as a Grand Slam champion, after her triumph in Australia this year . ... Youngest American to make her top-10 rankings debut since Serena Williams was 20 in 2002.

■ Could play 27th-seeded Ons Jabeur, whose slices and drop shots can be tricky to deal with, in the third round.

Matchup to watch for: Serena Williams Ranked: Country:

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■ 73 38 9 U.S.

■ 23

■ Trying to earn her 24th major singles trophy to equal Margaret Court for most in history . ... Runner-up at four of past six Grand Slam tournaments,

Grand Slam singles titles: Aces:

including each of the past two years in New York. ... All five matches since tennis resumed have gone three sets; her record is 3-2.

■ Could face a fourth-rounder against 15th-seeded Maria Sakkari, who beat Williams at the Western & Southern Open in New York earlier this month.

Matchup to watch for: Naomi Osaka Ranked: Country:

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■ 5 22 10 Japan

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■ Originally said she wouldn’t play her semifinal at the Western & Southern Open to protest racial injustice, prompting the tournament to take a day off to support the cause . ... According to Forbes in May, Osaka earned $37.4 million over the previous 12 months to set a one-year record for a female athlete . ... Two of her five career tour-level titles came at Slams, both on hard courts.

■ Could face 16-year-old American Coco Gauff in the third round for the second year in a row at Flushing Meadows; Osaka won that 2019 meeting, but Gauff won a rematch at the 2020 Australian Open.

Grand Slam singles titles: Aces: Matchup to watch for: Sloane Stephens Ranked: Country:

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■ 6 27 37 U.S.

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■ Carries a three-match Grand Slam losing streak into U.S. Open . ... Just 1-6 match record this season, 7-16 dating to last year’s French Open.

■ Could play Serena Williams in third round.

Grand Slam singles titles: Aces: Matchup to watch for: