Serena Williams: Why She's the Clear Favorite to Win at Flushing Meadows

It should not be a surprise if Serena Williams wins the US Open this year.

In fact, Williams not winning the US Open would more of an mystery than if she did win.

There aren’t too many quality players in women’s tennis, and Williams is definitely still in the discussion as the best women’s tennis player on tour.

She and her sister Venus are the only players who can take months off at a time and still compete in—and win—majors, just as they are going to do this year.

Time is running out, as both sisters are aging. But for now, here are the reasons Serena will win the US Open.

9. Best Athlete/Most Talented

Serena Williams is, without question, the best athlete in women’s tennis. The next best would be her sister, Venus, but Venus is two years older and is better on grass.

Of course, athleticism is important in any sport, and tennis isn’t an exception. The athleticism of the Williams sisters has repeatedly allowed them to compensate for bad positioning, poor strategic decisions and even a lackadaisical attitude.

There is no question that Serena possesses a great talent. If she is able to convert even one-half of her skills, she can win the US Open this year.

8. No Competition

Women’s tennis is starting to witness some good players, but they haven’t emerged yet.

Some notable competitors who could possibly make a name for themselves are Andrea Petkovic and Victoria Azarenka. These two players have already started to gain recognition, but a grand slam would push them into limelight.

Although these players are skilled, they won’t be able to beat Serena because she hits the ball harder than anyone and has more experience.

Azarenka gets nervous during grand-slam matches because she feels the weight of everyone’s expectations for her to win. Although Azarenka has played well against Serena, she hasn’t often been able to triumph, and she has never beaten her in a grand slam.

The other player is Petkovic. The only time Petkovic and Serena played was last year, and Serena won in three sets. Petkovic and Petra Kvitova probably have the best shot at beating Serena this year. With their heavy ground strokes that match Serena’s, it is a coin flip.

7. Has Winning Record Against Competition

It is very hard to beat Serena Williams, especially when she plays in grand slams. Against the main competitors, Williams has done very well.

Against last year’s US Open champion, Kim Clijsters, Williams has a 7-2 record. She is also 2-1 against Clijsters in grand slams. Clijsters is a counter-puncher, but that doesn’t work against the hard-hitting Williams.

Serena is also 7-2 and 3-1 in grand slams against Maria Sharapova. They play similar games in that they both are not afraid to go for the big shot. Still, Williams is superior because she can hit the ball and serve harder. Also, Sharapova sometimes is hampered by her height, which affects her movement.

Williams is 5-1 against Li Na, 3-0 in grand slams. She steps up her game when others can’t in the big matches.

6. Layoffs Don’t Bother Her

Serena and Venus are known for their long breaks from tennis, and every year more and more people doubt they can perform at a high level.

Well, that may be true, but it’s looking like Serena is doing just fine this year.

After losing at Wimbledon, she played in one singles tournament on hard courts (Bank of the West Classic).

She destroyed her competition, only dropping one set the entire tournament. In the West Classic, Serena Williams beat opponents like Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli and Sabine Lisicki in straight sets. Some consider Sharapova and Lisicki favorites to win the US Open. They didn’t look too good against Williams.

5. Consistent/Most Grand Slams

With a whopping 13 grand slams, the field doesn’t really compare to Serena Williams. The active player with the second-most grand slams is her sister, with nine.

Then there is a huge drop. Clijsters has four, and Sharapova has three.

This says a lot about Williams. For one, she has the best overall tennis skill, and she also has the biggest will.

Whenever she plays in a grand slam, no one can stop her. Everybody knows it.

4. Age Doesn’t Play a Role

There is a lot of talk about age being a factor, and that is somewhat true. No athlete wants to age because it obviously is not a good thing.

With that being said, age is not as much of a factor in women’s tennis as it is in men’s. The past grand slam winners, besides Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon this last year, have been relatively old.

For example, Serena Williams won Wimbledon the two previous years and the two years prior to that, Venus won Wimbledon. At the French Open this year, Li Na was 29 years old, and Francesca Schiavone, the woman who won the French last year, was 30. In the Australian Open, Clijsters won when she was 28, and she also won the US Open when she was 27.

Serena is only 29 years old. She has two, maybe three years left to compete at a high level.

3. Best Returner

Serena Williams is one of the few players who can consistently hit the return faster than the serve itself. She is not afraid to swing away, which helps and hurts her.

For opponents who have a weak second serve, beware.

2. Hardest Hitter

Williams is usually the person in control of the points, and that’s exactly what you need to do in tennis. She gains control not only by using precise placement but also by hitting the ball with brute force.

1. Experience

This kind of goes along with all the grand slams she has won, but it is worth mentioning. Experience plays a big role in women’s tennis, as we have seen of late. With the exception of Petra Kvitova, all recent grand slam winners have had a lot of experience before mastering a slam.

Serena Williams knows the ins and outs of the game. She knows opponents' weaknesses, and she thrives on big points.

If Williams doesn’t get too wild, meaning going for too many big shots, she will pull away with the US Open championship.