By Shrivathsa Sridhar
(Reuters) – Karolina Pliskova will hope that a return to the hardcourts of the U.S. Open will help her break her Grand Slam duck as the former finalist heads to New York on the back of an encouraging run of results.
The Czech is among a select group of players to have reached the top of the world rankings without having won a major and she will look to go a step further than her runner-up finish at Flushing Meadows in 2016.
Pliskova dominated rivals with her booming serves and stinging ground strokes during her run to last month’s Wimbledon final but she came up short in the title clash against Ash Barty.
The 29-year-old’s tune-up to the year’s last major included a loss to Camila Giorgi in the Montreal final before a semi-final defeat by Jil Teichmann in Cincinnati, but Pliskova said she was happy to be playing her best tennis.
“You can feel amazing in practice, but to win matches is something completely different… I’m happy that I’ve found a way to get this rhythm,” said Pliskova, who has won 10 of her 16 singles titles on hardcourts.
“I feel good with my game… I have plenty of days to go to the start (of the U.S. Open). I’m excited to be back in New York because last year was not really like New York,” she added, referring to the tournament which was staged without any fans in attendance.
Jennifer Brady and Coco Gauff will lead the charge of the local hopefuls and can expect vociferous support on match days, with the United States Tennis Association allowing full fan capacity for the two weeks of the tournament starting Aug. 30.
World number 14 Brady showed her class by reaching the semi-finals at last year’s tournament and then stormed into the 2021 Australian Open final where she lost to Naomi Osaka.
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 champion, will also fly the flag for the Americans as will Jessica Pegula and seven-times Grand Slam winner Venus Williams, who will be making her 23rd main draw appearance as a wildcard.
Victoria Azarenka is another player who has the experience to go the distance at the U.S. Open, having reached the last of her three New York finals in 2020 and the 32-year-old Belarusian will be keen to prove that there is plenty left in the tank.
The women’s field has never been more open than it has in recent seasons, with a host of players such as Barbora Krejcikova, Bianca Andreescu, Aryna Sabalenka, Tamara Zidansek, Karolina Muchova and Maria Sakkari who can all spring major surprises.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
