US Open Tennis 2008 draw

What’s the most compelling storyline at US Open 2014? Serena Williams’ quest for an 18th Grand Slam title that would put her on a par with Evert and Navratilova? Maria Sharapova’s burning desire to win a second major trophy in a season for the first time her career? Simona Halep’s bid to complete a remarkable, nigh-on unprecedented transformation from nervy-mid-level counterpuncher to Grand Slam champion? This year’s event is not short on intrigue, and will no doubt offer some unforeseen drama once play gets underway. Until then, all we can do is look at the somewhat uneven draw and speculate.

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Serena’s opening match in New York will attract maximum interest: she’s playing one of the USA’s most promising newcomers, Taylor Townsend. Just 18 years of age, Townsend is a vibrant personality off the court and an explosive presence on it, an imaginative, hard-hitting, net-rushing player who clearly loves the sport. Can she beat Serena? No. But she’ll enjoy her moment on the big stage and will do enough to show that the future is bright for American women’s tennis.

Once the media blitz that accompanies that first round match dies down, Serena should make fairly low-key progress to the last 16. Neither compatriot Vania King nor 34-year-old Francesca Schiavone has the tools to consistently trouble her in round two, and her third round opponent is slated to be 32nd seed Shuai Zhang, to whom she’s never lost a set. Mona Barthel or Varvara Lepchenko could sneak through in Zhang’s place, but Serena won’t be fazed by them either.

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If the seedings hold into the second week, Serena will play Carla Suarez Navarro for a spot in the quarter-finals. We all remember what happened when these two last squared off in New York: Williams humiliated the Spaniard 6-0, 6-0. Some good results on hard courts this summer, including a Montreal defeat of Maria Sharapova, suggest that Navarro could do a little better this time around, but she’s not going to win unless Serena is seriously hobbled. Might Coco Vandeweghe or Sam Stosur come through this section instead? Vandeweghe is a very impressive ball-striker and recently beat Ivanovic and Jankovic on her way to the Rogers Cup quarter-finals. The ever-unpredictable Stosur also seems to be on an upswing, thrashing Eugenie Bouchard in New Haven.