There are actually three excellent American players in the QFs in this year's US Open (Venus Williams, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens).
However, based on the head-to-heads, none of them will reach the semifinals.
And of those who should (at least on paper), only one has two Grand Slam titles, and it's not even on a hard court.
Karolina Pliskova is still, in my book, the woman who should win this title this year. She came very close last year, losing to eventual champion, Angelique Kerber, and beating Serena Williams in the semi's!
Fellow Czech, Petra Kvitova, can certainly take this title, with her game, very suited to a fast surface like a hard court. Yun lang, she has to beat Venus first in her QF match.
Kaia Kanepi of Estonia has been to five grand slam quarterfinals, and on paper, may finally, get her chance this year. She has been to the 2010 US Open QF and should have enough experience, in her up-and-down career, to finally seal this historic breakthrough for her.
Latvia, like Estonia, is a very tiny country, but has produced two top women players, this year's French Open titlist, Jelena Ostapenko, and Anastasija Sevastova, who saw off Maria Sharapova in their 4th round match.
Although only 5'5 to Maria's 6'1, her strong defense and varied play, threw Maria off in some very crucial points, and she really deserved the win.
Let's see if she is as fearless as her compatriot, Jelena, in beating the other remaining top women players.
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