Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA US Open match.
The second round of the US Open brings an all-Russian contest: Anastasia Potapova faces world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva. For Potapova, this is a chance to make amends for modest results on hard courts, while for Andreeva it is an opportunity to reset after the setback in Montreal.
Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Potapova is enduring a difficult season and is clearly short of her peak level. She has seven defeats in her last ten matches, and against top-10 opponents Potapova has won only 3 of 19 matches in her career. In the first round she got past Lin Zhu (6:4, 4:6, 6:2), but it was hard work and included 10 double faults.
Mirra Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva arrived with some concerns, but in New York she delivered a strong level. In the opening round she eased past Alycia Parks (6:1, 6:0), spending only 55 minutes on court. Andreeva landed 67% of first serves and won 75% of points behind her first delivery. The head-to-head is level, but the most recent meeting went her way.
Anastasia Potapova vs Mirra Andreeva Prediction
Given Mirra Andreeva’s current form and level, the risk looks minimal. Anastasia Potapova is unlikely to sustain a high tempo for long, especially with that serve and with Mirra so reliable on return.
