The draw for the women’s singles event at the 2014 US Open was released early Thursday afternoon.  As usual, it produced its share of winners and losers and led to much speculation about who is most likely to walk away with the coveted title when the fortnight comes to a close.

First Quarter

The top half is definitely the weaker half of the draw, and that should have Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic, the top two seeds in the first quarter, smiling.  Williams could find herself embroiled in an entertaining opening encounter with fellow American Taylor Townsend, but outside of a vintage performance from Samantha Stosur or poor performance by Williams, it is difficult to envision anyone taking the top seed out of the competition prior to the last eight.  A similar argument could be made for Ivanovic.  Talented players like Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or last year’s US Open semifinalist Flavia Pennetta may put up a fight, but the Serb has a bigger game and is playing with more confidence.  It is reasonable for fans to expect yet another showdown between Williams and Ivanovic in what has become a compelling rivalry this season.

Second Quarter

While it is fairly easy to narrow down the list of potential semifinalists from the other quarters of the draw, it is anyone’s guess who might emerge from this section.  No. 3 seed Petra Kvitova has historically struggled to produce her best tennis on North American soil.  She could face stiff opposition from home favorite Madison Keys – who pushed Maria Sharapova to three sets last week in Cincinnati – or 2004 US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.  Many are more apt to look to Eugenie Bouchard to advance to the final four, a feat the Canadian has managed to pull off at the other three majors this year.  But Bouchard has struggled since reaching the Wimbledon final.  She could be ripe for an upset, leaving the door open for someone like Ekaterina Makarova.  And finally, there is two-time finalist Victoria Azarenka.  The Belarusian has yet to find her form and pulled out of Cincinnati two weeks ago due to injury.  If she is feeling healthier, however, there is no telling when her game may click, leaving her a dark horse in this section of the draw.

Third Quarter

Agnieszka Radwanska may avoid looking too far ahead in the draw, but if she did,  she would know that she has an excellent shot at advancing beyond the round of 16 in Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career.  Stellar performances by former Australian Open semifinalist Zheng Jie or this year’s Wimbledon semifinalist Lucie Safarova could trip her up, but there is arguably nobody in the Pole’s path who has the kind of game and firepower to derail her progress if she plays at her best. The other top seed in this quarter, Angelique Kerber, potentially has a similar road.  She is guaranteed to face a qualifier in each of her first two rounds.  If the temperamental German is not feeling the ball well, however, that could be problematic against an opponent who already has the luxury of notching a few matches under her belt.  The other two competitors to keep an eye on in this quarter are Sloane Stephens and Jelena Jankovic.  They are slated to meet early in what would be a rematch of their encounters in Canada and Cincinnati, both won by Jankovic.  As a former US Open finalist, the Serb might find a way to sneak through this section.

Fourth Quarter

Hands down, the most intriguing section of the draw is this fourth quarter.  The top two seeds are Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova, and after their two most recent battles, few would be disappointed if they clashed in the final eight of the US Open.  But there is plenty that could transpire to forestall that scheduled matchup.  In the third round, Halep may be asked to overcome the hard-hitting Garbine Muguruza, whom most will remember was responsible for dismissing Serena Williams at Roland Garros earlier this year.  The Romanian may also be forced to battle Venus Williams, who after reaching the final of Montreal a few weeks ago has proven that she is more than capable of competing with the best of them.  Like Halep, Sharapova will also face her own hurdles.  The big-serving Sabine Lisicki could await in the third round, and no one should easily dismiss this year’s Roland Garros semifinalist Andrea Petkovic or a resurgent Caroline Wozniacki. 

Fans and commentators alike will have to wait for play to get underway to see how the draw ultimately unfolds.  But if there is one thing that is for certain, it is that there should be plenty of entertaining tennis coming their way in the next two weeks.