Canadian Open 2024: Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (7) Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns
Date: August 8, 2024
Tournament: National Bank Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Sobeys Stadium, Toronto, Canada
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: ≈$3.5 million
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns preview
Following a first-round bye, seventh seed Madison Keys will face Peyton Stearns in the second round of the Canadian Open 2022.
Keys returned from an injury break in March this year at the Indian Wells Open and reached the third round. She went a round further in the next event, the Miami Open. She enjoyed a good run on clay, with a semifinal finish in Madrid, a quarterfinal showing in Rome, a title in Strasbourg, and finally a third-round exit from the French Open.
Keys' grass swing commenced in Eastbourne, where her title defense ended in the semifinals against Leylah Fernandez. She was close to winning her fourth-round clash against Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon. However, an injury forced her to retire with the score tied at 5-5 in the third set. This will be her first match since that loss.
Stearns was up against Anna Blinkova in the first round here. The American fell behind 2-0 at the start of the first set. She managed to even the score down the line but got broken once again to trail 4-3. She then bagged the next three games to snatch the set from her opponent.
There were three straight breaks of serve in the early stages of the second set, with Stearns coming out on top to lead 3-1. She didn't relinquish her advantage at any cost and went on to win the match 6-4, 6-3.
Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between the two, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Madison Keys vs Peyton Stearns prediction
Stearns was challenged by Blinkova in her opener but managed to raise her level when it mattered to score her first career win at the venue. Keys returns to the tour after a month-long absence following her mid-match retirement at Wimbledon.
Keys has generally performed well at the WTA 1000 level this season and has been quick to find her groove even after a break. As for Stearns, she will now aim to reach the third round of a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time in her career.
Stearns has a 2-9 record against top 20 players and has gone 0-7 against them on hardcourts. She almost beat Aryna Sabalenka at this year's Indian Wells Open but squandered four match points to fall short of a huge scalp. Even though Keys could be tested by her younger rival, her experience should help her prevail in the end.
Pick: Madison Keys to win in straight sets.