Women’s US Open: Americans to Improve Flushing Meadows Record?
by Bradley Gibbs | by Bradley Gibbs
The US Open can throw up the occasional surprise winner
On the male side of things, lower-ranked players have struggled to be successful at Flushing Meadows in recent years, with each of the last seven male US Open winners ranking inside the top three. However, for the women, the picture is a little different.
For a female outsider hoping to cause an upset at Flushing Meadows, there’s no reason not to be hopeful, as we can see from the list of recent winners below.
Last ten women’s US Open winners:
2025 - Aryna Sabalenka (ranked 1st)
2024 - Aryna Sabalenka (ranked 2nd)
2023 - Coco Gauff (ranked 6th)
2022 - Iga Swiatek (ranked 1st)
2021 - Emma Raducanu (ranked 150th)
2020 - Naomi Osaka (ranked 10th)
2019 - Bianca Andreescu (ranked 15th)
2018 - Naomi Osaka (ranked 19th)
2017 - Sloane Stephens (ranked 83rd)
2016 - Angelique Kerber (ranked 2nd)
Sure, the list above shows that, most recently, the higher-ranked players have thrived, with none of the last four female US Open winners entering the tournament lower than sixth in the WTA Rankings, but the fact that three of the last ten winners were ranked outside of the top ten suggests that outsiders aren’t entirely without hope.
We only need to look back to 2021, when Emma Raducanu shocked the world by going all the way, despite being the world number 150 at the time.
Five of the last ten winners were ranked 10th or lower, which tells us that it’s not only the very best players according to the WTA Rankings that thrive at the US Open, while if we include 2015 winner Flavia Pennetta, we can say that five of the last 11 have been ranked 15th or lower, so don’t make the mistake of thinking the top two or three are the only players with a serious chance of landing the fourth and final Grand Slam prize of the calendar year.
How have American players performed at Flushing Meadows?
With this Grand Slam being played on US soil, it’s fair to assume that it suits American players, plenty of whom have gone far in recent times, though if we’re talking about becoming the champion, then there’s been a distinct lack of American hands on the trophy in recent years.
We did see American success in 2023, when Coco Gauff played superbly to go all the way, becoming the first female American to win the US Open since Sloane Stephens caused an upset back in 2017, which means that only two of the last nine women’s US Opens have been won by American players. In fact, it’s only two US winners since 2015.
During the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, America’s Serena Williams was dominant, winning four US Open titles between 2008 and 2014, but that doesn’t change the fact that, relatively speaking, very few American women have won the US Open since the turn of the century.
Since the 2000 women’s US Open, won by Venus Williams, only four American women have gone all the way, with nine of the last 26 renewals being won by a player from the US, giving American players a 34.6% strike rate at Flushing Meadows this century.
Which American players can emerge as the biggest challengers this time around?
Here’s the pick of the bunch as far as female American contenders go:
Coco Gauff
Naturally, as the last American winner of this event, and as the current world number four, Coco Gauff is the most likely American to get her hands on the top prize in 2026.
Gauff will head to Flushing Meadows with her game in fine order too, recently winning the WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati, where she gave the impression that her next Grand Slam success isn’t far away.
Jessica Pegula
Ranked as the current world number three, Jessica Pegula is no back number either. She reached the final of this prestigious event back in 2024, while she also comes into the tournament having played very well of late, reaching the final in Cincinnati last week. She lost to Gauff on that occasion, but clearly, she’s good enough to go close.
Madison Keys
Another former US Open finalist, Madison Keys hasn’t quite been at her best in 2026, but the 2025 Australian Open winner did shift through the gears a little to reach the quarters in Cincinnati, so she’s not without a chance.
Iva Jovic
One of the best young WTA players, Iva Jovic is not to be dismissed. Sure, she’s only 18, but she’s already ranked inside the top 15, and has made the second week in two of the three Grand Slams played in 2026, with her best effort coming on the Australian Open hard courts, where she reached the quarters.
