"Are we f**king serious?"; "This is brutal" - Fans horrified by Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka & Iga Swiatek-led US Open 2025 draw

The draw for the 2025 US Open is finally out, with Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Iga Świątek leading the women’s field. However, many fans have voiced frustration, believing their favorites have been dealt a particularly tough path at this year’s tournament.

On Thursday, August 21, the US Open released the women’s draw, and it’s packed with must-watch matches right from the start. Canadian Open champion Victoria Mboko will face two-time Grand Slam winner Barbora Krejcíkova in a standout first-round clash. Venus Williams takes on Karolína Muchova, Mirra Andreeva meets Alycia Parks, while Sofia Kenin goes up against Ashlyn Krueger.

Even for big names like Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek, and Rybakina, the road to the final is anything but straightforward. Sabalenka could run into Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu early on, while Gauff has Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, and Amanda Anisimova lurking in her section. Swiatek seems to have a smoother path at least until the quarterfinals, but Rybakina’s draw is far trickier, as she could be staring down Sabalenka as early as the last eight.

Fans wasted no time reacting, with many freaking out over how "brutal" the draw looks. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote:

"This is a brutal draw lol."

"What is the obsession with grouping sabalenka, raducanu and vondrousova together they are always in the same quarter of any masters or slam nowadays," another wrote.

One account posted:

"Surely Saba can go straight to the NYPD and lodge a case of attempted murder???"

"RYBACANU THIRD ROUND ARE WE F**KING SERIOUSSSSS," one user commented.

"Gauff has a tough quarter with Keys. Osaka in Swiatek half. Swiatek has Anisimova in her quarter, but looks like a solid favorite. Sabalenka has Rybakina in the top quarter, that will be big," another joined in.

"Amanda is in Igas quarter. Venus vs Muchova. Katie has Marta. Could be worse but she aint winning that," one account tweeted.

Iga Swiatek edges ahead of Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka as US Open favorite

Iga Swiatek pictured at the 2025 US Open | Image Source: Getty

Second seed Iga Swiatek holds a slight edge over top seed Aryna Sabalenka and third seed Coco Gauff in the race for this year’s US Open title, with her recent form giving her a bit of an upper hand compared to the other two.

Swiatek turned her season around at Wimbledon, where she captured her first grasscourt Major after a rough stretch earlier in the year. She now heads into New York riding the momentum of an impressive title run in Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka may have started the year strong by reaching the finals of the first two Slams, but her form has dipped since. She fell short at Wimbledon and then exited in the Cincinnati quarterfinals despite being the defending champion. Gauff finds herself in a similar spot: her French Open triumph was a highlight, but she struggled to make an impact at Wimbledon, the Canadian Open, and again in Cincinnati.

About the author

Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double-checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.

Pritha's journey at Sportskeeda is marked by more than 2000 articles and close to 16 million views, with the "dream-come-true" moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career. A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh