Aryna Sabalenka vs Priscilla Hon - US Open Tennis Prediction and Pick 8/26/24

Aryna Sabalenka is the bookmakers' favorite to win the US Open women's title. That would not have been fathomable a month ago when she was forced to miss Wimbledon because of a shoulder injury. She had also complained of soreness upon returning to the Citi Open in Washington, where she fell to a shocking semifinal loss.

But recent form suggests she's one of the most in-form WTA players coming to the US Open, having bagged the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati by beating Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula back-to-back for the title. In fact, during the week in Ohio, she did not drop a set all tournament.

Priscilla Hon has the almighty task of beating last year's runner-up in the first round. The Australian World No. 205 successfully qualified for her second US Open after beating Kamilla Rakhimova in a dramatic three-set match in the final round of qualifying.

Hon has played mostly on the ITF level this season and has compiled a 24-19 record for the year. She has won one title at that level, the W60 in Burnie, Australia. 

Aryna Sabalenka vs Priscilla Hon Head-To-Head

• Sabalenka leads Hon 1-0 in their head-to-head, although that match happened seven years ago in Mumbai when the Belarusian was not a prominent top player.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Priscilla Hon Prediction

It is tough not to see Sabalenka cruising in this match, and the question here is how many games she will be generous enough to lose. The second seed has a terrific record at Grand Slams in the past two years, reaching at least the quarterfinals or better since the start of the 2022 US Open. Last year, she stumbled at the final hurdle and the general consensus is that she will be unstoppable this year. Bank on Sabalenka to make light work of the qualifier.