8 teenagers to keep an eye on at 2022 US Open

This year's US Open will feature a number of teenagers that could do some damage in the main draw and we bring you all of them.

1 Carlos Alcaraz

Number one is clearly Carlos Alcaraz as the teenager made headlines last year at US Open. He played in the quarterfinal and he is in a solid position to repeat that or even take it a step further. Alcaraz did not play that well leading up to the US Open but he will find his best when he needs to.

2 Emma Raducanu

Raducanu is number two with the Brit triumphing at last year's US Open out of nowhere. With expectations now high, she has struggled to live up to it in the intervening months with injuries and coaching changes affecting her in the run up.

Showing glimmers in Cincinnati defeating both Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, this was then confounded by the 19-year-old under new coach Dmitry Tursunov having issues with her recurring hand/wrist injury which saw her left in tears after practice.

She plays well known giant killer, Alize Cornet in the opening round so could see her title defence come down with a thud.

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3 Coco Gauff

Number three is Gauff who played in the doubles finals last year and she's a threat to do it again.

Teaming up with Pegula, Gauff looks excellent both in doubles and singles. She matured and played in a grand slam final this year already so anything can happen.

In her home slam, expectation has always been there for Gauff which has only seen a best of the third round back in 2019 but is now a different player compared to then. She is up to a career best World No.11 and will be expected to have a career best singles performance at Flushing Meadows.

4 Leylah Fernandez

Number four is last year's finalist Fernandez who dazzled in the bright lights of New York. She's coming off of an injury so she will need some time but if the forehand catches fire, look out.

The 19-year-old started this season well defending her Monterrey title, reaching the French Open quarter-finals but the latter nearly ended her season losing to Martina Trevisan after a Grade III fractured foot but despite indifferent results since returning, she will continue to grow in confidence as her return to action continues.

5 Linda Noskova

Number five is Noskova, a player who battled her way into the top 100 at the age of 17. She plays fierce tennis without any fear making her quite dangerous.

The latest in a Czech production line, she defeated Genie Bouchard in qualifying and will face her compatriot Marie Bouzkova in the opening round on Tuesday.

She joins two other Czech teenagers in the draw in Linda Fruhvirtova and Sara Bejlek but for Noskova, she is the youngest player currently inside the top 100 and really on the rise.

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6 Qinwen Zheng

Zheng is number six and she is another one who hits hard. On her day she's pretty tough to beat.

Facing Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round, she reached the fourth round at the French Open losing to Iga Swiatek after shining in Melbourne reaching the semi-finals earlier in the year and followed that up lately with a Quarter-Final in Montreal.

From the top 150 to the top 40 in the space of a year, the 19-year-old is firmly one to watch.

7 Ben Shelton

Number 7 is American hope Shelton who looks promising this early and a good couple of matches in New York could launch his career in the proper way.

This season has been a whirlwind with two Challenger Finals, as well as making his ATP Tour and Grand Slam debut in the US Open as well as a first top five win over Casper Ruud.

Promise has been rewarded with Shelton not going to college and turning professional and he has signed a deal with Roger Federer's TEAM8 management firm as a result.

8 Linda Fruhvirtova

And finally, it's Fruhvirtova, a player known as a big talent but without a big break yet.

Reaching the top 200 after reaching the latter stages in Miami defeating Danka Kovinic, Elise Mertens and Victoria Azarenka, she joins Noskova in the draw with prior promise but will also make her main draw Grand Slam debut in New York.

Coming through qualifying, she now plays Xinyu Wang on Tuesday and at the age of 17 is firmly on the up.

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