U.S. Open women’s singles predictions: Updated tennis odds, best bets and more for 2026 Grand Slam

The women’s draw at the 2026 U.S. Open starts with Aryna Sabalenka, who returns to New York looking to make history.

The World No. 1 has won back-to-back titles at Flushing Meadows and is now trying to become the first woman since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014 to win three straight U.S. Open singles championships.

Sabalenka is the player to beat, but the gap at the top is not overwhelming. Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff continue to push her in the rankings, while a strong field gives bettors plenty of options beyond the favorite.

With Sabalenka chasing a three-peat and several contenders capable of making a run, the women’s futures market should be one of the more interesting markets of the Grand Slam season. New users can place a $5 bet on this tournament with DraftKings and unlock $200 in bonus bets instantly.

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U.S. Open women’s singles prediction

It’s hard to imagine that Sabalenka doesn’t win this week. No one in the world has been more dominant on hard court than she. She started the summer hard-court swing 25-1 on the surface this season, with her only loss at that point coming in the Australian Open final. Even after losses in Toronto and Cincinnati, she remains the player I trust most on a fast hard court when her serve and forehand are working.

There is also something to be said for what Sabalenka has already done in New York. She has won the U.S. Open in back-to-back years and is trying to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three straight. It feels like the entire crowd is going to be rooting for her this week. Sabalenka had a month away from competition after Wimbledon and has used Toronto and Cincinnati to get ready for New York.

If she wins this week, the only question is whether this price works for you.

U.S. Open women’s singles odds 

All odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. To reach final and to reach semifinal adds will be added once they’re offered.

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U.S. Open women’s singles best bets

Best bet overall

If I am picking someone other than Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina at +1100 makes the most sense. The price is the first thing that jumps out. She is the No. 2 player in the world and already won the Australian Open this season, yet we are getting more than three times the price of Sabalenka. Rybakina has also been one of the best hard-court players on tour, reaching the Toronto final and beating Coco Gauff in the semifinals before losing to Iga Swiatek.

Her game is also built for this surface. Rybakina has one of the best serves in women’s tennis, can shorten points and has enough power off both wings to take the racquet out of an opponent’s hands. She has already shown this year that she can beat Sabalenka on a major hard court, taking her down in the Australian Open final.

The draw is tougher than Sabalenka’s, with Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Swiatek and Gauff all landing in the bottom half. But at +1100, I am willing to take the tough path. The one concern is the ankle issue that forced Rybakina to retire against Swiatek in Cincinnati. If she is healthy, though, she has the hard-court resume, current form and outright power to beat anyone in this field.

For me, Sabalenka is the safest pick, but Rybakina is the best combination of upside and price among the other contenders.

Best value bet

Iga Swiatek at +550 is the best value bet on the board for me. Sabalenka is still my pick to win, but +320 leaves little room for error. Swiatek at +550 implies roughly a 15% chance of winning the tournament, and I think her actual chances are higher than that given the form she is carrying into New York.

I tweeted how great Swiatek was playing in Cincy, and she still lost to Jessica Pegula. I still think she’s playing some good tennis.

Swiatek just won Toronto, including a victory over Elena Rybakina in the final. She put together a 10-match winning streak across those two events. She also already owns a U.S. Open title, so there is no question about whether her game can translate to these courts.

The draw is the drawback. Swiatek and Rybakina are projected to meet in the quarterfinals, while Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva are also in the loaded bottom half. I like Sabalenka the most, but taking Swiatek isn’t a bad option.

Best longshot

Karolina Muchova at +3000 is the longshot I like most. The number is too big for someone who is ranked No. 7 in the world, is 35-9 this season and has already won two singles titles in 2026. She also reached the Wimbledon final earlier this summer, which gives me a bit more confidence.

She has such a great track record here. Muchova reached the U.S. Open semifinals in 2023 and 2024, then the quarterfinals in 2025. Her variety works extremely well on these courts because she can defend, come forward, change pace and still generate enough offense to beat elite players.

The draw isn’t great because Sabalenka is her projected quarterfinal opponent, but Muchova is at least in the more manageable top half. The bottom half is loaded with Rybakina, Swiatek, Gauff, Andreeva and Osaka. At 30/1, I am okay eventually having to beat Sabalenka.

Favorite to fade

Osaka is the worst favorite solely based on price. I love her on hard courts historically, but the number feels too short. Osaka enters after withdrawing from Cincinnati because of fatigue. Before that, she reached the semifinals in Washington and the quarterfinals in Toronto, so her form isn’t bad, but she also hasn’t won a singles title since 2021. At +1000, you are pretty much paying for the name.

The draw is the biggest issue. Rybakina is in Osaka’s section, with Swiatek also in that quarter of the bracket. That potentially means Rybakina before the quarterfinals and Swiatek to reach the semifinals. Meanwhile, you can get Rybakina at +1100, a slightly better price, even though I think Rybakina is currently the stronger hard-court player and has the bigger serve. The bottom half also includes Gauff, Andreeva, and Anisimova, so there isn’t much relief later.

Where to bet on U.S. Open tennis

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