US Open Tennis – Finals Preview

The final of the Women’s US Open takes place at Flushing Meadows, New York on Saturday and the season’s last Grand Slam should finish in style.

American ace Jessica Pegula will take on last year’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final and it promises to be a blockbuster.

While Pegula recovered from a set down to defeat Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals, Sabalenka was a straight-sets winner over Emma Navarro.

Tips

• Recommended bet 1 : Aryna Sabalenka to win 2-1
• Recommended bet 2 : Over 21.5 games
• Recommended bet 3 : Jessica Pegula +4.5 on games handicap

Sabalenka set to shine at Flushing Meadows

It is a bold move to oppose Sabalenka at a hard-court Grand Slam and it is no surprise that she is favourite to defeat Pegula in Saturday’s final.

Sabalenka heads into the match with a remarkable record of 26 wins from her last 27 at the Australian Open and US Open combined. Her only defeat in that run was against Coco Gauff in the final of last season’s US Open.

The Belarusian will therefore be out to put things right this year and her added experience of Grand Slam finals could be crucial.

While Sabalenka has twice won the Australian Open, Pegula has only just appeared in her first Grand Slam semi, let alone final, and this is unknown territory for the 30-year-old.

Sabalenka can also draw confidence from the fact she leads the head-to-head with Pegula 5-2, the most recent of those coming when the pair met in the final of last month’s WTA Cincinnati.

But a Grand Slam final should bring out the best of Pegula, who was born in the state of New York and will have the full backing of the crowd.

She also took down the top seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals of this year’s major and, while Sabalenka is the bet to win this match, Pegula can at least ensure it goes to three sets.

New York final could go the distance

Given the likelihood of this match going to three sets, over 21.5 games could also be worth a look.

There is a strong chance that bet would pay out if the match goes the distance given that Sabalenka’s semi-final with Navarro produced 22 games in just two sets.

Sabalenka was taken to a tiebreak in that match and sixth seed Pegula is likely to push her even closer, so expect the game count to rise.

Pegula can make life tough for favourite

Sabalenka is the player to beat on hard courts on the WTA tour but Pegula is a close second on recent form and she is worth backing to cover the handicap.

Pegula has dropped just one set in the US Open this year and went into this Grand Slam having won the WTA Toronto and reached the final of the WTA Cincinnati.

She will benefit from the support of the New York crowd and should not be disgraced in any individual set, so expect her to keep it tight throughout.