2024 WTA Tour
US Open
USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Centre
Chosen 2nd Spherical Matches
twenty eighth August 2024
Daria Kasatkina 71/100 | Peyton Stearns 11/10
Russian Daria Kasatkina loved a reasonably routine first-round win over Jacquelin Cristian, successful 63% of her break-points to ease previous the Romanian 6-2, 6-4.
She celebrated in model, doing a nifty little dance for girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako. This has been a little bit of a wierd yr for the versatile shot-maker. She has reached an unimaginable 4 WTA 500 finals this season, successful her seventh profession title on the Eastbourne Worldwide.
In truth, she has reached finals on all three surfaces this yr. However she hasn’t been in a position to get previous the third spherical in any of her Grand Slam appearances. Furthermore, she got here into this yr’s US Open in fairly underwhelming type, going 1-3 in her North American hardcourt precursors.
However the former French Open semi-finalist was moderately untroubled in her opener and she or he has the standard to make a deep Grand Slam run. She reached the fourth spherical right here final yr and she or he is all the time a harmful darkish horse decide.
22-year-old American Peyton Stearns took the scenic route in her skilled journey, successful the 2022 NCAA Championship throughout a two-year collegiate stint. And she or he has made spectacular headway since arriving on Tour.
She received her maiden title at this yr’s Rabat Grand Prix. And she or he has proven some actual indicators of progress throughout this yr’s North American hardcourt marketing campaign. She reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in Toronto (happening to Pegula in a aggressive conflict).
She then reached the quarters in Cleaveland final week and she or he appeared actually composed in her Flushing Meadows opener, powering previous veteran Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 7-5. She served brilliantly all through, crunching seven aces and successful 72% of her first-serve factors.
She has a robust serve and dynamite forehand and I’ve been championing her for a while now. She reached the 4th spherical right here final season, clearly demonstrating a flair for these brisk surfaces.
Verdict: Stearns to win in three 39/10
Kasatkina leads Stearns 3-1 of their head-to-head rivalry. Nonetheless, it was Stearns who emerged victorious after they final met at this yr’s French Open.
This can be an enchanting conflict, with Stearns trying to dictate proceedings together with her forehand whereas Kasatkina counterpunches and appears to create little crosscourt angles.
One thing tells me that Stearns- buoyed by a fanatical house crowd- may have the firepower to tame Kasatkina.
