US Open women's singles final tips: Value from tight Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka clash

Aryna Sabalenka heads into the US Open final as the bookmakers' favourite, but they have not made Coco Gauff a clear underdog.

In markets offered by leading sportsbooks, few will offer anything longer than even money on Gauff taking the crown.

Here, we trawl through the markets to find value and offer a few tips ahead of the final.

 

US Open women's singles final: Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka

 

The US Open women's singles final will be the sixth meeting between these players, with Gauff leading the head-to-head 3-2.

Gauff has won two out of the three tiebreaks contested by the players, something which might prove relevant in the final.

The American usually brings her A-game when facing Sabalenka, and there is no doubt that is something that has tightened up the markets and caused a lot of uncertainty.

Gauff no longer has a forehand that sticks out as a glaring weakness, and Sabalenka will need to tweak her game to repeat her success over the American at Indian Wells earlier this year.

The No 6 seed has endured the more challenging path to the final and has spent nearly three hours longer on court across the fortnight against a relatively light workload for Sabalenka.

Sabalenka hasn't won a title since Madrid, having lost a final in Stuttgart and being vanquished in the last four at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and also in Cincinnati last month.

Gauff won her first big title with her WTA 1000 in Cincinnati and ignited hopes of an American winner of the US Open, which are still alive.

 

Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka: Tips and suggested bets

 

Sabalenka hadn't dropped a set until she was bagelled by Madison Keys to start the semi-final, and Gauff will aim for a similar fast start. This could see Gauff take the first set.

There will likely only be one break in that opening stanza, and Gauff could repeat a 6-4 first set win just as she achieved in the last four.

Sabalenka won't go down without a fight, though, as she showed in her incredible fightback win over Keys, and she should be able to take the second set.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Sabalenka crowned as the US Open champion, and thus there are short odds on her to win the title.

However, if she is able to pull out a come-from-behind triumph, there are some decent offers on Sabalenka prevailing by two sets to one.