Leylah Annie Fernandez has captivated both die-hard tennis observers and casual fans in New York. The 19-year-old continues her 2021 U.S. Open journey on Thursday with another unique challenge, as she reaches her first grand slam semifinal. Fernandez takes on No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka. The match will have sky-high stakes, with the winner advancing to the final.
The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Sabalenka as the -350 favorite (risk $350 to win $100) and Fernandez as the +260 underdog in the latest Sabalenka vs. Fernandez odds. The over-under for total games is set at 20.5 in the latest 2021 U.S. Open odds. Before making any 2021 U.S. Open picks, be sure to see the latest tennis predictions from SportsLine's Gavin Mair.
A renowned women's tennis handicapper, Mair has cashed in huge at previous U.S. Open tournaments. He called Naomi Osaka (32-1) winning the 2018 U.S. Open and Bianca Andreescu (20-1) winning the 2019 U.S. Open. He also held a position on semifinalist Belinda Bencic (50-1) at the 2019 edition, and he nailed a +550 position on the second set of the 2021 Wimbledon final. Anyone who followed Mair's advice was handsomely rewarded.
Now, Mair has locked in on the 2021 U.S. Open women's semifinal matchup featuring Fernandez vs. Sabalenka and revealed his best bets. Head to SportsLine to see them.
Top Fernandez vs. Sabalenka predictions
Sabalenka, as the No. 2 seed, enters the semifinal as a strong betting favorite, and it is easy to see why. She has 10 singles wins on her resume, including two high-level victories this season, and Sabalenka is playing in her second straight grand slam semifinal. Beyond her overall profile, she is playing fantastic tennis right now, winning four straight matches in straight sets and allowing opponents to win six games or fewer in each of those contests.
Sabalenka also has the experience advantage, but Fernandez is riding quite a wave in New York. Just hours after turning 19 years old, Fernandez became the youngest woman to reach the US Open semifinals since Maria Sharapova in 2005, and she is the youngest player to knock off multiple top-five players in any grand slam tournament since Serena Williams did it at the age of 17 at the 1999 U.S. Open. Fernandez did win the Monterrey Open without losing a set earlier this year, but this is uncharted territory, and she has played her best tennis under the brightest possible lights in the sport.
How to make Sabalenka vs. Fernandez picks
Mair has studied this matchup in-depth and has found value on multiple best bets that include plus-money payouts. Head to SportsLine to see his best bets.
Who wins Fernandez vs. Sabalenka in the U.S. Open 2021 women's semifinal? And which picks could lead to a big return? Visit SportsLine now to see Gavin Mair's best bets, all from a renowned tennis handicapper, and find out.
