Citi Open 2023: Madison Keys vs Jennifer Brady preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (7) Madison Keys vs (PR) Jennifer Brady
Date: August 2, 2023
Tournament: Citi Open 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Washington D.C., United States
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $780,637
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | Canada - TSN
Madison Keys vs Jennifer Brady preview
Madison Keys and Jennifer Keys are set to duke it out in an all-American showdown in the second round of the 2023 Citi Open on Wednesday.
Keys was up against World No. 24 Qinwen Zheng in the first round. The latter struck first in the opening set to go 3-2 up, but the former broke back immediately to level the score. The American then saved three break points to hold serve and make it 5-4.
With Zheng serving to take the set into a tie-break at 6-5, Keys secured a break of serve to claim the set. The second set was rather one-sided as the former US Open runner-up lost just one game in it to win the match 7-5, 6-1.
Playing her first WTA match in almost two years, Brady faced World No. 28 Anhelina Kalinina in her opener. The American let go of an early lead in the first set but regrouped to bag the last four games of the set to take it.
Brady was all over Kalinina in the second set as she reeled off six games in a row to score a comprehensive 6-2, 6-1 win upon her return to the WTA tour. With the win, the 28-year-old is guaranteed to be ranked in the top 600 next week, a massive jump from her current ranking of No. 1056.
Madison Keys vs Jennifer Brady head-to-head
Brady leads Keys 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2019 China Open in three sets.
Madison Keys vs Jennifer Brady odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Madison Keys vs Jennifer Brady prediction
One wouldn't have guessed that Brady was out for months, given how she played against Kalinina. She won a massive 90% of her first serve points and dictated the play from the baseline. The American dominated the proceedings with her huge forehand.
Keys played a relatively disciplined match to defeat Zheng, who had just won the Palermo Open. Once she managed to take the first set, she just ran away with the match.
Both players love to take control of the match with their powerful groundstrokes. Their only encounter so far was a close affair, with Brady ultimately gaining the upper hand in the third set.
If Brady replicates her form from the previous round, she could give her fellow American a run for her money. However, with Keys being in good form and with more match play under her belt, she's likely to come out on top in the end.
Pick: Madison Keys to win in straight sets.