The final major of the year is upon us, as the U.S. Open's singles draws begin on Sunday.

On the women's side, top players Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek lead the way, followed by a cluster of Americans (Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova and Emma Navarro) all entering their home major as top-10 seeds. Sabalenka, Świątek and Gauff are the previous three winners at Flushing Meadows, and the draw provides a path that either of the latter two can meet world No. 1 Sabalenka in the final.

Pegula, 31, is still in search of her first major after finding her best career major result at Flushing Meadows a year ago, which fell just short at the hands of Sabalenka. She'd have to overcome Sabalenka, who she's had a difficult time against, in a potential semifinal match to make it back to the final. Still, there is a path for a U.S. Open final between two Americans for the first time since Keys and Sloane Stephens competed for the title in 2017. Although an unlikely outcome, the path is there—it just runs through Sabalenka and Świątek.

Here's the full women's singles draw:

Now that we know each players path to the final, let's put together some potential final matches that we can look forward to as singles play begins.

First, some ground rules. For this exercise, any player can only be used a maximum of three times so we don't have one player from one half of the draw against five players from the other side. With that out of the way, let's get into it.

Here are five potential U.S. Open finals you can get excited about:

5. Victoria Mboko vs. Iga Świątek

Victoria Mboko
Victoria Mboko won the Canadian Open this year at just 18 years old. | David Kirouac-Imagn Images

We'll start out with a wild card in an up-and-coming star.

If you're not familiar with Victoria Mboko, the U.S. Open is a perfect time to change that. The 18-year-old Canadian sensation and current WTA world No. 24 won her home tournament this summer in Montreal, defeating Naomi Osaka in the final. She upset Gauff in the quarterfinals and four total major champions on her way to winning the Canadian Open.

She's in Pegula's quarter, and would have to get through Sabalenka in a potential semifinal, which is certainly a monumental task for someone her age. Surely some recency bias here, but another Mboko run would be great fun, plus she keeps getting better and better. And if she makes some magic, her first match against the hottest tennis player in the world in Świątek would make for an entertaining final. More on her momentarily.

4. Jessica Pegula vs. Iga Świątek

Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek
Jessica Pegula got past Iga Swiatek at last year's U.S. Open | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Pegula upset Świątek at Flushing Meadows in last year's quarterfinals. That paved the way for the American and current world No. 4 to make a run to her first major final where she was defeated by top-ranked Sabalenka in straight sets.

The 31-year-old Pegula is still looking for her maiden major title. Maybe it comes at her home major. Or, revenge for Świątek, who's having an incredible summer and is heading into the U.S. Open with all the momentum.

3. Jessica Pegula vs. Coco Gauff

Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula competed together at the Paris Olympics | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

How about an All-American U.S. Open final?

Pegula, still in search of her first major, is the top-ranked American player in the top half of the draw, while Gauff is the top American in the bottom half. Pegula is out in front in their all-time series 4-2, but the two have yet to meet this year. They haven't even met in a major yet, making a first potential meeting in the final at Arthur Ashe a storyline worth rooting for. Pegula playing for her first major, Gauff going for her third and first at Flushing Meadows since her historic U.S. Open win in 2023. Must-see TV.

2. Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka in this year's French Open final | Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Gauff and Sabalenka have the potential to meet for a French Open final rematch, where the American and current WTA world No. 3 claimed her first title at Roland Garros after Sabalenka won the first set.

The two stars have a remarkably close record against one another, as Gauff has her nose in front slightly, 6-5, against Sabalenka. They have alternated wins in their last four matches, but Gauff has come out on top in their two meetings in major finals.

Aside from this year's French Open, they met in the 2023 U.S. Open final where Gauff became the first American teenager to win the event since Serena Williams did so in 1999. In that final, she overcame dropping the first set to Sabalenka to make history. The world No. 1 won her first U.S. Open the next year, though. A final between the event's past two winners is a clear top potential outcome.

1. Aryna Sabalenka vs. Iga Świątek

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Iga Swiatek at the French Open before her final match against Coco Gauff. | Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

A world No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown makes the top of the list here.

Sabalenka, the current top-ranked player, has won three majors, while Świątek has won six, including her first win at Wimbledon earlier this summer. Against each other, they have had a fairly even rivalry with Świątek earning eight head-to-head wins to Sabalenka's five. Their most recent match came at Roland Garros, where Sabalenka came out on top to reach the French Open final. The two top-ranked players have yet to meet at a major final—why not now?


More on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the Five U.S. Open Women's Singles Finals We Most Want to See With Draw Set.