Emma Navarro vs. Aryna Sabalenka: Picks, Predictions and Odds

Aryna Sabalenka was the pre-tournament US Open favorite following her success in Cincinnati and the second seed now faces Emma Navarro for a place in the final.

Sabalenka has dropped only one set on her way to a semi-final showdown with American ace Navarro and she can continue her progress by booking her place in the final.

Sabalenka was beaten in last season’s US Open final by Coco Gauff but she is a two-time Australian Open champion and will be optimistic of securing a third Grand Slam title in New York.

The Belarusian made light work of quarter-final rival Qinwen Zheng, winning 6-1 6-2 in little over an hour against the seventh seed, and she starts as a strong favourite for this last-four rumble with the much-improved Navarro.

This is uncharted territory for Navarro, who is featuring in her first Grand Slam semi-final, but the 23-year-old looks a player of immense potential.

Tournament wins over defending champion Gauff and the rejuvenated Paula Badosa read especially well and she will be buoyed by having home support on her side.

Performing in front of a home crowd can be extremely advantageous in New York and Navarro will be hoping that the Arthur Ashe Stadium spectators can help get her over the line against Sabalenka, who is on a ten-match winning streak.

Emma Navarro vs Aryna Sabalenka betting picks and predictions

Emma Navarro to win a set (+110)

Sabalenka is a red-hot favourite to make it back-to-back US Open finals at -400 and it is easy to see why given she has dropped only one set in five outings in New York and is on a ten-match winning streak.

The Belarusian's recent title triumph in Cincinnati featured straight-set victories over world number one Iga Swiatek and world number six Jessica Pegula and she has continued that rich vein of form at Flushing Meadows.

The only set that Sabalenka has dropped came in round three against Ekaterina Alexandrova but she soon regained her composure to win 2-6 6-1 6-2.

All of that may not bode well for Navarro but the 23-year-old looks a big price to at least get a set on the board at -110, especially given the fact that she is going to have the whole crowd on side.

Sabalenka didn’t handle that pressure very well in last season’s final, when she lost 6-2 3-6 2-6 to Gauff, and claimed she was surprised by how one-sided the crowd were.

But that is going to be the scenario again in this semi-final with Navarro, who is playing at the peak of her powers and looks like a Grand Slam champion in waiting.

The 23-year-old was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon and she has gone one step further in her home Grand Slam, especially impressing in her latest two victories over Gauff and Badosa.

Navarro also knows that she has what it takes to stop Sabalenka, having defeated her 6-3 3-6 6-2 at Indian Wells in March, which remains their only ever hard-court meeting.

Sabalenka has since had Navarro’s measure but that came on clay at the French Open and that would be the American’s most vulnerable surface.

Sabalenka remains an all or nothing kind of player and, while on her day she is pretty irresistible, she can rack up the double faults and unforced errors when under pressure and that looks a likely scenario against the up-and-coming Navarro.

Aryna Sabalenka over 2.5 double faults (-138)

Sabalenka is arguably the most powerful player on the WTA Tour but with that asset comes plenty of unforced errors and double faults.

The world number two knows she is going to have to serve extremely well in this showdown with Navarro, who will be looking to delay her service games and put her under pressure.

In two of Sabalenka’s last three US Open wins over Zheng and Alexandrova, she has had three or more double faults and that could be the case again versus Navarro.

When these two met at Indian Wells in March, Sabalenka made four double faults and Navarro’s strong return game can ensure that their latest rivalry goes a similar way, especially if this last-four tie goes the distance.

Aryna Sabalenka to win 2-1 in set betting (+250)

While Navarro should be competitive, she may still struggle to convert the chance and get over the line against the winning machine that is Sabalenka.

The Belarusian started the season with victory at the Australian Open and, although she had an underwhelming summer as she battled through injury, she now looks back to her brilliant best.

Sabalenka has lost only three of her last 22 matches, recording 10 wins on the spin, and she is brimming with belief which is usually her recipe for success.

Navarro is fancied to win a set but the pressure of making her first Grand Slam final on home soil may ultimately be too much against a player of Sabalenka’s magnitude.

Emma Navarro vs Aryna Sabalenka odds

Emma Navarro	+300
Aryna Sabalenka	-400

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.