Cincinnati 2022: Elena Rybakina vs Mayar Sherif preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Western & Southern Open
Match Details
Fixture: Elena Rybakina vs Mayar Sherif
Tournament: Cincinnati Open 2022
Round: First Round (Round of 64)
Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Ohio, United States
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $2,527,250
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - Rogers Sportsnet, TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Elena Rybakina vs Mayar Sherif preview
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will begin her Cincinnati campaign against World No. 60 Mayar Sherif of Egypt.
Having begun her season on a high with a runner-up finish at Adelaide, Rybakina subsequently suffered a dip in form due to injuries and illness. She managed to reach the quarterfinals just once in her next 13 tournaments.
It all changed for the Kazakh with a fairytale campaign on the lustrous lawns of SW19. The World No. 27 beat former Grand Slam champions Bianca Andreescu and Simona Halep on her way to reaching the final, where she edged heavy favorite Ons Jabeur in three sets.
However, post the biggest title of her career, the 23-year-old has once again struggled to string together wins. She went down against eventual champion Daria Kasatkina in three sets in the first round at San Jose last week.
This week, the Kazakh beat Marie Bouzkova in three sets to start her Toronto challenge before losing to Coco Gauff in a nail-biter in the second round.
Elena Rybakina saves FOUR match points before sending it to a decider against Gauff 
What a tiebreak! And what a set point!! 😵
🇰🇿 Elena Rybakina saves FOUR match points before sending it to a decider against Gauff 👉
#NBO22 https://t.co/zGMUyTzbFm
Egyptian trailblazer Mayar Sherif, meanwhile, has been on a history-making run for her country. She became the first player from her nation to qualify for the main draw of a Grand Slam at the 2020 French Open. In 2021, the 26-year-old added another feather to her cap by becoming the first Egyptian to win a Grand Slam match, which she achieved at the Australian Open.
Last year, Sherif also made the final at the WTA 250 tournament in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, to break into the top 100 of the world rankings for the first time.
Mayar Sherif practicing in Cincinnati https://t.co/U0Y8zyWrUr
Sherif has continued her upsurge this season by winning a couple of WTA 125 titles and by making the second round at Roland Garros.
She started the US Open Series with a 6-4, 6-1 loss to Donna Vekic at the Citi Open and will hope to do better in Cincinnati.
Elena Rybakina vs Mayar Sherif head-to-head
Rybakina and Sherif have never squared off on the tour before, so their head-to-head is currently tied at 0-0.
Elena Rybakina vs Mayar Sherif odds
(Odds will be updated in due course of time once they are released.)
Elena Rybakina vs Mayar Sherif prediction
Rybakina comes into this match as the favorite to win, given her experience and ranking. She was close to winning her last match but wasn't able to give the final push needed.
Rybakina will hope for a reversal of fortunes this time around when she faces Sherif. The Kazakh is known for her big serve and attacking style of play which she will look to bring to the fore. Rybakina's ability to take the ball on the rise could rob the Egyptian of precious time, putting her in a spot of bother.
That said, Sherif has been improving her serve and court coverage over the last few years, which has been instrumental in her rise. The Egyptian will look to exploit the Kazakh's movement in an attempt to eke out errors off her racquet.
It is thus imperative for Rybakina to serve well right from the start and keep her unforced errors to a minimum if she wants to win her second match since Wimbledon.
Pick: Elena Rybakina to win in straight sets.