7 women to watch at the US Open
Women to watch at the U.S. Open, where play begins Monday:
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SIMONA HALEP
Seeded: 1
Ranked: 1
Age: 26
Country: Romania
2018 Match Record: 46-8
2018 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 18
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1 - French Open ('18)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: '17-Lost in 1st Round, `16-QF, `15-SF, `14-3rd, `13-4th
Aces: Won two hard-court titles this season. ... Claimed her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in June. ... Wins nearly half of all return games, WTA's best rate.
Topspin: A year ago, exited in the first round against Maria Sharapova. This year, could face a Williams sister in the fourth round. ... If she's healthy, could make a deep run.
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CAROLINE WOZNIACKI
Seeded: 2
Ranked: 2
Age: 28
Country: Denmark
2018 Match Record: 32-12
2018 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 29
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1 - Australian Open ('18)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-2nd, `16-SF, `15-2nd, `14-F, `13-3rd
Aces: Third among active women with 21 career hard-court titles, trailing only the Williams sisters. ... Converts 52.1 percent of break-point chances, No. 2 on tour in 2018.
Topspin: Loves that she no longer has to hear questions about why she hasn't won a major tournament. ... Her counter-punching clearly can succeed in New York, where she's twice reached the final.
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SLOANE STEPHENS
Seeded: 3
Ranked: 3
Age: 25
Country: United States
2018 Match Record: 27-13
2018 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 6
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1 - U.S. Open ('17)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-Won Championship, `16-Did Not Play, `15-1st, `14-2nd, `13-4th
Aces: First attempt to defend a Grand Slam title. ... Last year's triumph capped a comeback after foot surgery.
Topspin: Boom-or-bust streak in Grand Slam tournaments continues: She has either reached the final (twice) or lost in the opening round (three times) at her past five majors.
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ANGELIQUE KERBER
Seeded: 4
Ranked: 4
Age: 30
Country: Germany
2018 Match Record: 40-14
2018 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 12
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 3 - U.S. Open ('16), Australian Open ('16), Wimbledon ('18)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-4th, `16-W, `15-3rd, `14-3rd, `13-4th
Aces: Reached at least the fourth round at 12 of 14 tournaments she entered this year, the best rate among top-10 players.
Topspin: Returned to the height of her powers with a Wimbledon title last month; one third of her career trophies came at majors.
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MADISON KEYS
Seeded: 14
Ranked: 14
Age: 23
Country: United States
2018 Match Record: 21-11
2018 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 3
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: Runner-Up, U.S. Open ('17)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-Runner-Up, `16-4th, `15-4th, `14-2nd, `13-1st
Aces: Winning 61.6 percent of service points this season, ranking third on tour.
Topspin: Run to French Open semifinals showed overall development of her game. No reason she couldn't have another long stay in New York.
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SERENA WILLIAMS
Seeded: 17
Ranked: 26
Age: 36
Country: United States
2018 Match Record: 12-5
2018 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 72
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 23 - U.S. Open ('99, `02, `08, `12, `13, `14), Wimbledon ('02, `03, `09, `10, `12, `15, `16), Australian Open ('03, `05, `07, `09, `10, `15, `17), French Open ('02, `13, `15)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-DNP, `16-SF, `15-SF, `14-W, `13-W
Aces: Trying to win her first U.S. Open title since claiming a third in a row in 2014. ... Missed the tournament last year because she gave birth on Sept. 1.
Topspin: You've heard it here before and you'll hear it again: Never count out Williams, no matter what her form appears to be entering a tournament.
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MARIA SHARAPOVA
Seeded: 22
Ranked: 21
Age: 31
Country: Russia
2018 Match Record:
2018 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 36
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 5 - U.S. Open ('06), Wimbledon ('04), Australian Open ('08), French Open ('12, `14)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-4th, `16-DNP, `15-DNP, `14-4th, `13-DNP
Aces: 11-0 in first-round matches at Flushing Meadows. ... Hasn't been past the fourth round since 2012; missed the U.S. Open three of the past five years.
Topspin: Made Grand Slam return in New York in 2017 after absence of more than 1+ years because of a doping ban.
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