Al Bello/Getty Images. Pictures: Canadian teen standout Leylah Fernandez.
The first set of US Open semifinals are here. New York’s grand slam tournament has been the best event on tour this year, with Thursday’s women’s matchups primed to provide more fireworks.
Here are the showdowns that will determine this year’s final.
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Aryna Sabalenka vs. Leylah Fernandez
| Sabalenka Odds | -365 |
| Fernandez Odds | +285 |
| Over/Under | 20.5 |
| Time | 6 p.m. ET (subject to change) |
| Odds via FanDuel | |
If you predicted a semifinal matchup that included Leylah Fernandez, please give me betting advice. The Canadian teenager opened the tournament at +30000 odds, but is now only +650 to take home the crown in New York.
Fernandez has arguably had the most difficult route to a semifinal anyone has had all year, moving through the likes of Naomi Osaka, Angie Kerber and Elina Svitolina to reach the final four (not to mention Ana Konjuh and Kaia Kanepi).
On the other side, Aryna Sabalenka was a much more likely candidate to be in this position. The world No. 2 opened the tournament as the third favorite in the betting odds behind Osaka and Ashleigh Barty.
The Belarusian has only dropped one set in the entire tournament — in her first round match with Nina Stojanovic — and no opponent has won four games in a set against Sabalenka since. She is the favorite to win the title at +115 odds.
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Maria Sakkari vs. Emma Raducanu
| Sakkari Odds | -152 |
| Raducanu Odds | +128 |
| Over/Under | 21.5 |
| Time | 7:15 p.m. ET (subject to change) |
| Odds via FanDuel. | |
In this contest, another teenager is featured. This time, it’s Emma Raducanu of Great Britain that provides the label. The 18-year-old has been vicious at the US Open thus far, getting through seven matches — including qualifying — without dropping a set or facing a tiebreaker. She opened at +20000 is vying to become sixth-youngest women’s slam champion.
Maria Sakkari is a more familiar face on the WTA tour, but she doesn’t have many big achievements to back up her No. 18 world ranking. Rather, it’s consistent play on all surfaces that has gotten her recognition. Most recently, Sakkari reached the French Open semifinals earlier this year, where she suffered a heartbreaking loss to Barbora Krejcikova.
It will be the first time each duo faces off at the professional level, though Sabalenka and Fernandez have once met in doubles.
