Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA US Open match.
Ekaterina Alexandrova
Ekaterina Alexandrova has played three matches in New York with authority, dropping only 10 games. She is landing 70% first serves and winning 66% of points behind her first serve, while keeping errors low with only three double faults across those three matches. In seven of her last eight outings against WTA top-10 players, Ekaterina kept the margin within four games, and against Iga Świątek the Russian covered the +4.5 game handicap in five of six meetings.
Iga Świątek
Iga Świątek did not have an easy passage into the last 16. In her meeting with Anna Kalinskaya she lost her rhythm in the second set, allowing her opponent to take 10 games. Four of her last five hard-court matches against the top-20 went over the total, averaging more than 21 games. At this tournament Iga has already committed 12 double faults and has managed only a 59% first-serve percentage. Ekaterina Alexandrova is an awkward match-up for her: the Pole leads the head-to-head 4-2, but the Russian has two wins and has forced tie-breaks in three other sets.
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Iga Świątek Prediction
This match will not be straightforward for Iga Świątek. In her current form, Ekaterina Alexandrova should cover the handicap and force a battle in at least one set.
