Korea Open 2024: Sloane Stephens vs Hailey Baptiste preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Sloane Stephens vs Hailey Baptiste
Date: Monday, September 16, 2024
Tournament: Korea Open 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center in Seoul, South Korea
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Hard (Outdoor)
Prize Money: $922,573
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - DAZN | India - Tennis Channel
Sloane Stephens vs Hailey Baptiste preview
Sloane Stephens will square off against Hailey Baptiste in an all-American encounter to kick off their campaign in Korea on Monday, September 16.
Stephens has had a far-from-impressive season so far, heading into Seoul with a modest 19-20 win-loss record. She did, however, win a title in Rouen, France, in April earlier this year, defeating Magda Linette in a thrilling three-set final.
Stephens did not win a single match during the North American hardcourt swing, losing in the first round at Washington, Toronto, New York, and Guadalajara. The 2017 US Open winner's last singles victory came in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships where she defeated Elsa Jacquemot. However, the 31-year-old lost to Diana Shnaider in the subsequent round.
Baptiste, meanwhile, holds a 3-8 win-loss record on the WTA Tour so far in 2024. Her three match victories came at Indian Wells, Roland Garros, and Bogota.
She has mainly competed on the ITF WTA 125 circuit. In April, she reached the final of the Veneto Challenger in Italy but lost to fellow American Alycia Parks. She also made the semifinal of the Puerto Vallarta WTA 125 where she was defeated by another American, McCartney Kessler.
Sloane Stephens vs Hailey Baptiste head-to-head
Sloane Stephens and Hailey Baptiste have not yet faced each other in professional competition, so their head-to-head record is 0-0.
Sloane Stephens vs Hailey Baptiste odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Sloane Stephens vs Hailey Baptiste prediction
Sloane Stephens heads into this match struggling to find her best form, having lost her last five matches and winning just one set out of 11. Her performance on hard courts this year has been inconsistent, with her only notable results being the third-round appearances in Melbourne and Indian Wells.
Similarly, Baptiste is on a three-match losing streak on the WTA Tour, with her last win coming in the first round of the French Open. She was eliminated at the qualifying stage in New York a couple of weeks ago and lost in the first round in Guadalajara last week.
The relatively fast courts in Seoul could benefit both players as they rely on their powerful baseline games. Stephens might have the edge if she serves well and maintains a favorable ratio of winners to unforced errors. Baptiste could also pull off an upset with her strong serves and effective net play, although it will be a big challenge.
Pick: Stephens in straight sets.