{"id":2118337,"date":"2026-08-29T18:40:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T15:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2118337"},"modified":"2026-08-29T18:40:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T15:40:50","slug":"john-isner-and-annabel-croft-deliver-brutal-aryna-sabalenka-verdict-before-us-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2118337","title":{"rendered":"John Isner and Annabel Croft deliver brutal Aryna Sabalenka verdict before US Open"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">John Isner and Annabel Croft deliver brutal Aryna Sabalenka verdict before US Open<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/oliver-paton\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Oliver Paton                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"29 Aug 2026 7:40 PM\" data-ps-date=\"29 Aug 2026 7:40 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1788028850\"><br \/>\n                            29 Aug 2026 7:40 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img 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         <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"John Isner and Annabel Croft deliver brutal Aryna Sabalenka verdict before US Open\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A-disappointed-Aryna-Sabalenka-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: A disappointed Aryna Sabalenka\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                A disappointed Aryna Sabalenka                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\"><!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p>John Isner and Annabel Croft have picked against world No 1 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/aryna-sabalenka\">Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> as the favourite for the women\u2019s singles title at the US Open, instead backing former champion Coco Gauff.<\/p>\n<p>The Belarusian has endured a disappointing two months, reaching just one semi-final in her last six tournaments, at the Berlin Open.<\/p>\n<p>Twelve months ago, Sabalenka won back-to-back US Open titles by defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in the final.<\/p>\n<p>This year, the world No 1 will open her campaign against Camila Osorio, with the likes of Anna Kalinskaya and Iga Swiatek lurking elsewhere in her quarter of the draw.<\/p>\n<p>Due to her string of poor results, Elena Rybakina has quickly closed the gap on Sabalenka and is now just 434 points behind her in the live WTA rankings.<\/p>\n<p>Isner, a two-time US Open quarter-finalist, gave his prediction during a recent episode of the Nothing Major podcast.<\/p>\n<p>He, alongside co-host Steve Johnson, agreed that despite the betting odds, Gauff should be considered the title favourite.<\/p>\n<p>The American recently reached the semi-finals of the Canadian Open before lifting the title in Cincinnati just two weeks later.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really think she is [the favourite],\u201d said Isner about Gauff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Sabalenka is the betting favourite, but last year Coco went into the US Open with not a lot of confidence and a lot of serve issues. That stuff has seemingly been put to rest right now.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHer first and second round matches last year in New York were the most tension-filled matches that you could possibly imagine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe is coming into this one with a lot more confidence, so for me it is Coco Gauff that is the favourite.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are 10 to 12 women that could win it, and it just depends on the day,\u201d Johnson added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s crazy. Is Rybakina hurt? Can Coco\u2019s serve hold up? I remember last year being in New York, and those were uncomfortable matches to watch because you were like, this could go sideways.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was just uncomfortable watching it. I do think Coco has got to be towards the top, if not the favourite, because if the tennis is there, everything else falls in line.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know what you are going to have with her every time she steps onto a court.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>More Tennis News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Alexander Zverev rejects US Open favourite tag and makes Carlos Alcaraz injury prediction<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/carlos-alcaraz-believes-can-win-us-open-labels-jannik-sinners-shock-withdrawal-weird\">Carlos Alcaraz believes he can win US Open, labels Jannik Sinner\u2019s shock withdrawal \u2018weird\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Former British No 1 and long-time tennis commentator Croft also believes Sabalenka has lost the \u2018aura\u2019 that previously made her seem almost unbeatable to her rivals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBack in the spring, when Aryna Sabalenka completed the \u2018Sunshine Double\u2019 by winning at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, she was just so dominant,\u201d she told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/sport\/tennis\/article\/aryna-sabalenka-lost-aura-coco-gauff-us-open-preview-0vw3297rz\">The Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe has been the world No 1 for nearly two years now and she\u2019s always embraced all the frills that come with that: the sponsors, the jewellery, the brands, the shoes. She\u2019s a big personality, a big character and she\u2019s really fun, but since then it\u2019s like the wheels have come off.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome players have a certain aura that they carry on to the court, which can intimidate their opponents,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSabalenka is definitely one of them, but those losses will have damaged that aura. She\u2019s vulnerable, and regardless of your ranking, tennis is about confidence \u2013 and her opponents will sense that if they can take her the distance, then she may unravel again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Similarly to Isner and Johnson, the Brit is backing Gauff to take advantage of the Belarusian\u2019s poor form.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are so many contenders in New York this year \u2013 Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Marta Kostyuk, Linda Noskova, Mirra Andreeva \u2013 but I\u2019m picking Coco Gauff,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor her entire career, all the commentators have scrutinised her forehand and her serve, which are weaknesses that have hindered her at inopportune moments, when the pressure has been at its greatest. But the evidence leading into the US Open is that there\u2019s a lot more shape to her forehand. It hasn\u2019t looked like breaking down, and her serve has been fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe conditions in Cincinnati, where she defeated Pegula in straight sets in the final last week, were really fast and suited her, and she is a phenomenal athlete. Even when she\u2019s playing badly, she often seems to find a way to win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHer loss in the semi-final against Karolina Muchova at Wimbledon, where she went for a drop shot on match point, was painful. I\u2019m sure she\u2019s relived that moment many times and had sleepless nights, but she\u2019s playing the best I\u2019ve seen her all year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End --><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>John Isner and Annabel Croft deliver brutal Aryna Sabalenka verdict before US Open Oliver Paton 29 Aug 2026 7:40 PM A disappointed Aryna Sabalenka John Isner and Annabel Croft have picked against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka as the favourite for the women\u2019s singles title at the US Open, instead backing former champion Coco Gauff. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-2118337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2118337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2118337"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2118337\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2118337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2118337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2118337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}