One of the biggest events of the summer is about to descend upon Flushing Meadows in New York City, and there will be some extra emphasis on the U.S. Open this year now that it could be the legendary Serena Williams’ last tournament.
In an article that she wrote for “Vogue” magazine, Williams wrote that her 5-year-old daughter, Olympia, has been hoping for a younger sibling, and at age 41, Williams wrote that she’s having to make some tough choices.
“I’ve been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis,” Williams wrote. “Alexis [Ohanian], my husband, and I have hardly talked about it; it’s like a taboo topic. I can’t even have this conversation with my mom and dad. It’s like it’s not real until you say it out loud.”
Williams’ Remarkable Career Could End in New York
Williams is royalty in New York, where she has won six U.S. Opens–tied for the most with Chris Evert. If she is to win this year, she would also tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles.
It will be an uphill battle, however. Williams tore her hamstring at Wimbledon in 2021 and didn’t return until the grand slam event in England this year, where she lost in the first round.
She’s playing the Canadian Open currently and then will play the Western & Southern Open next week, followed by the U.S. Open, which could be her last event.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” Williams said in the essay. “And I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York. But I’m going to try. And the lead-up tournaments will be fun.”
How Does Serena Stack Up Among the Favorites?
SBNY has a look at the best sites to bet on for tennis, and you can currently bet on U.S. Open futures along with individual matches once they are made available.
Williams hasn’t won a grand slam since the 2017 Australian Open, when she was two months pregnant with Olympia. The odds for Serena, however, are favorable if you believe the all-time great has one more run left in her. She’ll have to contend with, among others, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek (world’s No. 1 ranked player), 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, and defending U.S. Open champ Emma Raducanu.
Here are the latest U.S. Open ladies odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
PLAYER | ODDS TO WIN 2023 U.S. OPEN LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP |
Iga Swiatek | +220 |
Naomi Osaka | +650 |
Cori Gauff | +1300 |
Simona Halep | +1400 |
Ons Jabeur | +1600 |
Elena Rybakina | +1800 |
Aryna Sabalenka | +1800 |
Paula Badosa | +1800 |
Bianca Andreescu | +2000 |
Maria Sakkari | +2400 |
Anett Kontaveit | +2400 |
Leylah Fernandez | +2900 |
Karolina Pilskova | +2900 |
Emma Raducanu | +2900 |
Serena Williams | +2900 |