It was the 2023 US Open. Local favorite, Coco Gauff was up against Aryna Sabalenka in the summit clash. Although the American sensation had the crowd behind her, Sabalenka was the favorite to win the title. She started the match with a bang, winning the first set comfortably 6-2. However, the atmosphere turned vocal, as the fans lifted Gauff’s spirits. In what was a thrilling turnaround, Gauff went on to win the next two sets to lift her maiden Grand Slam title. A year later, Gauff now enters the tournament as the defending champion. However, tennis experts seem to have snubbed her for Sabalenka.

While Gauff is struggling for form lately, Sabalenka is on a roll after winning the Cincinnati Open title before the US Open. Additionally, she has had a consistent run in the tournaments lately, which will give her an edge over Gauff. In the pre-match show on Tennis Channel, experts were asked to pick out the favorites for the tournament.

Former pro player, Chanda Rubin mentioned, “It’s the way she (Sabalenka) approaches the game and it just works for New York. I think it’s only a matter of time before she lifts the US Open trophy and maybe this year especially on the heels of the final last year where she had controlled the match, learned a lot from that. I think she is going to be absolutely dangerous and she looks terrific coming in this year.”

Further, host Prakash Amritraj pointed out the biggest change in Sabalenka that has made her immensely successful. “Even if there’s a bad moment in the match, it doesn’t bother her for more than a couple of minutes. Before, in her career, she used to get frustrated, go down in a dump, but now, she rebounces quickly.” Additionally, another tennis expert Jon Wertheim termed Sabalenka ‘the favorite to win the US Open this year.’

While Sabalenka is fresh off winning the Cincinnati Open title, Gauff hasn’t won a title in more than eight months. She has won just 2 out of her last 5 matches and exited in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters. Despite her poor form lately, Coco Gauff is confident of defending her title in New York.

Coco Gauff on Cincinnati loss: ‘Blessing in disguise’

The American sensation went down fighting against Yulia Putintseva in a three-set thriller at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month. Despite that setback, Gauff isn’t worried much about that shocking loss and feels that it was a blessing in disguise for her.

Asked about her recent form, Gauff revealed, “I feel like it was a blessing in disguise I lost so early because I was able to actually train, which I hadn’t been able to. I do my best results when I come off a training block. I was able to train for a good week and a half and obviously still have a couple more days to do that.”

The American sensation would have to be at her absolute best if she is to defend her title at this year’s US Open. Coco Gauff will take on Varvara Gracheva in the opening-round match later today. Can she lift the title in New York? Let us know your views in the comments below.