Okay BetUS tennis betting enthusiasts, with the WTA finals set for the 2020 U.S. Open Saturday in New York, it’s time to find out which player is offering the best value. BetUS has the US Open Women’s Picks. We’re ready to see who will hoist the hardware for the year’s second Grand Slam event.
While world No. 9 and fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka was expected to reach the finals as the prohibitive favorite, world No. 27 and unseeded Victoria Azarenka was a longshot Yet, here we are with Azarenka looking to take down Osaka while both players seek to claim the third Grand Slam of their respective careers.
Now, let’s find out who is going to get the win.
Victoria Azarenka vs Naomi Osaka
Saturday, Sept. 12 at 3:00 p.m. ET
2020 US Open Women’s Final Odds
Victoria Azarenka +150
Naomi Osaka -170
Total: 21½
While Azarenka is a two-time Australian Open winner, the 31-year-old native of Belarus has not reached a slam final in seven long years and looked to be far closer to the end of her career than either the beginning or her prime. Still, Azarenka has looked nothing short of fantastic in winning the Western & Southern Open two weeks ago – and while reaching the finals of the U.S. Open.
The world No. 27 obliterated Barbara Haas 6-1, 6-2 in her opener before surprising fifth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-3 in the second round. Azarenka then dispatched Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-2 in the third round before going the distance in her 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 round of 16 win over No. 20 seed Karolina Muchova. Azarenka rolled all over Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinal round. Then she took down Serena Williams 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals.
The 22-year-old Osaka has been relatively dominant in winning six straight matches, though she had to go the distance three times this fortnight. Osaka took out Masaki Doi 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in her opener before stopping diminutive, but hard-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi. The score was 6-1, 6-2 in the second round. She needed three sets to subdue Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 7-6 (7), 6-2 in the third round. That was before shutting down Anne Kontaveit 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 16. Osaka dominated American Shelby Rogers in her 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win and backed that up with a thrilling 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3 win over surging Jennifer Brady in the semis and now she gets to face Azarenka after pulling out of the final due to a left hamstring injury at the Western & Southern, where she was scheduled to square off against the same foe.
Final Prediction
In three career head-to-head meetings, Osaka is 2-1. Azarenka took their first meetings, 6-1, 6-1 at the Aussie Open in 2016. Osaka got revenge by recording a 6-0, 6-3 win at the 2018 Rome Masters. Then she took out “Vika” 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the 2019 French Open. Osaka won a whopping 84% of her first-serve points against Brady in the semis while serving nine aces. By contrast, Azarenka managed to get past Williams despite winning just 68% of her first-serve points. She also won 57% of her second-serve opportunities. While the longer the match against Williams went, the better Azarenka’s chances were with Williams clearly not being in great shape, but that won’t be the case against the youthful legs of Osaka.
In the end, I’m going with my pre-tournament pick of Osaka to get it done one more time. She’ll win her third Grand Slam title. Osaka has the edge in power and I believe she’ll run down many of Azarenka’s shots that Williams couldn’t reach. Not only that, but I’m adamant Osaka has more drive. Her determination in this tournament is more than any other. She’s laced them up as she takes a leading role in the fight against systemic racism. I liked the prohibitive favorite before the US Open began and I’m riding her as a -170 pick.
Pick: Naomi Osaka in 3 Sets
