Can Serena Williams lose at US Open 2021?

Can Serena Williams lose at US Open 2021?

Serena Williams

Serena Williams will return to the Flushing Meadows as she hopes to capture her elusive 24th Grandslam title. The American has been out of action for a period of almost two months, as she was nursing a leg injury she picked up at Wimbledon 2021, during her first round encounter.

Serena Williams was scheduled to play at the Cincinnati Open last week, but had to withdraw as she was still recovering from the leg injury. The 39-year-old has played just five tournaments this year, which includes all three Grandslam tournaments.

US Open has been a happy hunting ground for Serena Williams, as she has claimed six of her 23 major titles in front of her home crowd. However, it will be a difficult task for the American this time around, given that she is ranked 21st in the WTA Rankings.

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Serena Williams faces a uphill task at the Flushing Meadows

Serena Williams
Serena Williams

Serena Williams faces a uphill task at the Flushing Meadows due to her lower ranking this time around. She is ranked 21st in the WTA Rankings, which means that she will have to face higher ranked players, much earlier in the competition.

Serena Williams lost in the finals of the US Open in 2018 and 2019, and was defeated by Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals last year. It is unlikely that Serena will go all the way at the US Open this year, given that she has not played a single hard court tournament in lead up to the last major of the year.

On the other hand, the likes of Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka enter the tournament as the red-hot favorites. Ashleigh Barty claimed the Cincinnati Open title last week, whereas, Naomi Osaka is the defending champion. Moreover, women’s draw is often unpredictable, as there have been quite a few surprises in the recent years.

Serena Williams is not likely to win the US Open this year, but she could certainly manage to reach the fourth round. Given her experience of playing at the top level, Serena can well and truly beat the world’s best on any given day.

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