Third Quarter
Three Americans, three high seeds, three contenders. Those would be No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, and No. 9 Madison Keys. The latter is the defending champion, but Pegula and Anisimova have also reached the quarters more than once here. All are in the opposite half of the draw from Sabalenka, and all of them have a chance to meet her in the final. But they’ll probably have to go through each other first.
Keys and Pegula are in the top half of this section. Keys could meet No. 22 Leylah Fernandez in the third round, while Pegula is looking at a potential second-rounder with another American, McCartney Kessler, and a possible third-round meeting with Paula Badosa.
Anisimova, meanwhile, is on her own in the bottom half. The players of note hear her are 2020 champ Sofia Kenin, No. 24 seed Jelena Ostapenko, and, perhaps most dangerous, No. 13 and rising Linda Noskova. Anisimova edged Noskova in a tight three-setter on her way to the Wimbledon final last year.
First-Round Match to Watch
- Karolina Pliskova vs. Sloane Stephens will make it feel like the early Trump years all over again
Semifinalist: Pegula
