Barty, Pliskova, Williams Make Bottom Half -175 Favorite to Win WTA US Open
- Oddsmakers favor the bottom half of the draw, which includes French Open champion Ashleigh Barty, 2016 finalist Karolina Pliskova and six-time champ Serena Williams, to provide the 2019 US Open women’s singles champion
- The sportsbook also likes the fourth quarter of the draw to provide the eventual women’s singles champion
- The last four US Open women’s singles champions were first-time winners of the tournament
Ashleigh Barty won her first Grand Slam title this season. Karolina Pliskova was a finalist in the 2016 US Open women’s singles. And with six wins, no one owns more titles in the open era at Flushing Meadows than Serena Williams.
That trio are all part of the bottom half of the draw for this year’s US Open, and it’s that half that oddsmakers favor to produce the 2019 champion.
2019 US Open – Women’s Winning Half Odds
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Bottom Half | -175 |
| Top Half | +145 |
*Odds taken 8/24/19.
The last three US Open women’s singles champion have all come from the bottom half of the draw.
Barty, Pliskova, Williams Starting From The Bottom
Second-seeded Barty made it to the fourth round of last year’s US Open, the best showing of her career. The #18 seed a year ago, she was toppled 6-4, 6-4 by sixth-seeded Pliskova while playing in the top half of the draw.
What a difference a year makes. After her inaugural Grand Slam win at the French Open, she’ll carry the second seed into the tournament at Flushing Meadows.
Pliskova is always a US Open challenger. She’s reached the final eight three years running.
Williams, seeking her record seventh US Open title of the open era, will be sentimental favorite. But last year’s losing finalist is nursing a nagging back injury. She’ll face 2006 US Open champ Maria Sharapova in the opening round.
Who needs a gym when you have central park? ?❤️#USOpen pic.twitter.com/38GlH0zf9i
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) August 22, 2019
Other bottom half contenders are #10 seed and 2017 finalist Madison Keys, and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber. Longshots to watch include #30 seed Maria Sakkari and unseeded teenager Dayana Yastremska.
The bottom half is loaded and the best bet to produce the 2019 US Open champion.
Pick: Bottom Half (-175)
2019 US Open – Women’s Singles Winning Quarter Odds
| Quarter | Odds |
|---|---|
| 4th Quarter | +150 |
| 2nd Quarter | +250 |
| 3rd Quarter | +325 |
| 1st Quarter | +400 |
The last three US Open women’s singles champions played in the fourth quarter.
Upsetting Finishes
It’s been a wild ride this season for women’s tennis, and the Grand Slam events have proven no different. Barty won the French Open as the #8 seed. Simona Halep won Wimbledon for the first time, as did Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open.
Osaka was last year’s US Open winner but she’s ailing with a knee injury. She won last year as #20 seed, and in fact, two of the last four winners were seeded 20th or higher. Unseeded Sloane Stephens won in 2017.
Expect this year’s winner also to be a longer seed but not that long. Coming off a win at Cincinnati, #10 seed Keys looks poised to take the next step.
She’ll do so from the third quarter – the same one that 26th-seeded Flavia Pennetta won from in 2015.
Pick: 3rd Quarter (+325)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
