The U.S. Open begins Monday at Flushing Meadows. Here are five women to watch during the final grand slam tournament of the season:

Serena Williams

Coming off a back injury, two years removed from motherhood, one year removed from an epic U.S. Open meltdown that cost her the championship and history, all the pressure is on the Compton, Calif., legend. The 37-year-old fashionista needs one elusive Grand Slam to tie Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24. Williams still is going for her first title of any kind as a mom. However, she arrives in bad form. She made the Wimbledon finals, but got blasted by Simona Halep. Williams withdrew from Cincinnati with a back injury last week after forfeiting, amid tears, mid-match in Toronto last month. Williams is the betting favorite despite a No. 8 ranking, but coach Patrick Mouratoglou said on TV earlier this week she didn’t look good in practice.

Naomi Osaka

After eliminating Williams in last year’s controversial U.S. Open final, the Japanese-American parlayed that into a title at the Australian Open. She’s had a major dip this summer, but still holds the Open’s No. 1 seed. Boiling it down to essentials: The quirky power hitter has won the past two Slams played on hardcourts. And her win over Williams last September was not a fluke, seemingly made for Flushing hardcourts with her deep balls.



Coco Gauff

You better find a way to the Open in the first week to witness the rising 15-year-old, who received a wild card into the main draw. Amid “Coco-mania,” she lit up Wimbledon with her poise, upsetting Venus Williams en route to making the round of 16. She became the youngest player to get that far since Jennifer Capriati in 1991. However, Gauff still is ranked 139th, and it would be a solid performance to reach the third round, where she potentially would face Osaka. Last year, in the junior event of the Open, Gauff lost in the semifinals.

Ashleigh Barty

The 23-year-old Aussie’s rise this year to No. 1 exemplified the parity of the women’s field. Tennis cognoscenti believe 15 women can win the 2019 Open. Barty captured the French Open title in the spring after winning the Miami Open. She comes in as the second seed and a real threat.

Madison Keys

We are still waiting for her Grand-Slam breakthrough. The 2017 Open finalist arrives with momentum after winning the last Open tune-up in Cincinnati. The Illinois basher has shown wildness and occasional reckless play across her career as she tries to tame lethal strokes. In fact, only last month the 10th-ranked Keys was ousted in the first round in Washington by 17-year-old Hailey Baptiste, ranked 264th. After losing to Osaka in the 2018 Open semis, Keys is due at age 24 for her first Slam title.