Can anyone stop Serena Williams winning the US Open?
Friday 4 September 2015 07:14, UK
We look at five potential challengers for Serena Williams as she bids to win a fourth straight US Open and a calendar Grand Slam.
The American is a strong favourite to triumph in New York and secure the 22nd major of her career.
But who could stop her from lifting the trophy on September 12? We examine where her toughest tests could come from…
Live US Open Tennis
Ana Ivanovic
The head-to-head might read 9-1 in Serena's favour, but Ivanovic pushed the American close the last time they met in Cincinnati.
After breaking three times to take the first set 6-3, the Serb also held a 2-0 lead in the decider, before going down 3-6 6-4 6-2.
"In the third set I started well, but I physically just couldn't keep up that level," Ivanovic said afterwards.
It was a familiar story in their recent match-ups, with four of the previous six meetings going to three sets and only one resulting in a victory for Ivanovic.
If the former world No 1 can improve her staying power then she could cause Serena problems in New York if they meet in the semi-finals.
Victoria Azarenka
Provided she is 100 percent fit, then Azarenka could pose one of the biggest threats for Williams in the Big Apple.
The former world No 1 withdrew from Cincinnati in the second set of her third-round match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as she did not want to aggravate a leg injury.
"I started to feel like it was getting a little bit worse and such a short period of time before the US Open it's a little bit dangerous. I had to unfortunately make that decision," she said afterwards.
While Azarenka will probably be pleased to be on the other side of the draw to Williams, given she has lost to her twice in the final in New York before, she pushed the American to the limit in their recent meetings.
Five of their last six matches have gone to three sets and Azarenka will probably feel she should have won more than just one of them.
In Madrid earlier this year she squandered three matches points, at the French Open she lost 10 of the last 12 games to lose in three sets and at Wimbledon she was beaten 3-6 6-2 6-3 in a high-quality match.
They contested a captivating US Open final in 2013 and could meet again this year.
Sloane Stephens
After ending her lengthy wait for a first WTA title, Stephens should enter the US Open in high spirits.
The 22-year-old had been 0-6 in semi-finals and had never reached a final in 83 previous tournaments before winning the Citi Open in Washington at the start of August.
She has already faced Serena three times this year and on two occasions – in Indian Wells and Paris – took the world No 1 to three sets.
Her performance at the French Open in particular should give her confidence as she led 6-1 5-4 before a stirring fightback wrestled victory away from her.
Stephens and Williams are scheduled to meet in the third round in New York and the older American is expecting a tough challenge.
"I seem to play Sloane every tournament," Williams said. "It's not anything simple or easy to deal with. Sloane is playing excellently."
Sam Stosur
The Big Apple holds fond memories for the Australian as it was here in 2011 that she won her first and only major, beating Serena 6-2 6-3 in the final.
With Serena having won all three editions of the US Open since, Stosur is still the last player to beat the American in New York.
In 2015 she has won clay-court titles in Strasbourg and Bad Gastein and also reached the semi-finals of the hard-court Citi Open in Washington.
Asked about the prospect of facing Williams at the US Open, Stosur told the Courier Mail: "I've always actually quite enjoyed playing Serena. I've got a game that disrupts her.
"You have to have the game. My game matches up well against Serena. I've got the kind of weapons that can bother her. If I do A, B and C well, then I've got a chance."
Seeded 22nd, Stosur is on the other half of the draw to Williams so could only meet her in the final.
Belinda Bencic
One of the rising stars of the women's game, 18-year-old Bencic heads to New York just a few weeks after recording one of the most impressive tournament wins of the year in Toronto.
The Swiss beat six former major winners or finalists on her way to lifting the trophy, including Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic, Williams and Simona Halep.
She followed it up with straight-set wins over Angelique Kerber and Flavia Pennetta in Cincinnati before withdrawing against Lucie Safarova as a precautionary measure with an injury.
"I don't think it's very serious," she said afterwards. "I just wasn't 100 percent today, and to beat Lucie or even compete against her, you need to be 100 percent. I'm really sorry I had to retire.
"It was the first time ever I've retired from a match, so it didn't feel very good."
Bencic is expected to be fit for the US Open, where she impressed last year as a 17-year-old, beating sixth seed Kerber and ninth seed Jelena Jankovic on her way to the quarter-finals.
She could face Williams in the quarter-finals in New York this year.
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