Montreal 2021: Coco Gauff vs Anastasija Sevastova preview, head-to-head & prediction | National Bank Open
Match details
Fixture: (15) Coco Gauff vs Anastasija Sevastova
Date: 10 August 2021
Tournament: National Bank Open 2021
Round: First round (Round of 64)
Venue: IGA Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hard
Prize money: $1,835,490
Match timing: 11 am local time, 3 pm GMT, 8.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Coco Gauff vs Anastasija Sevastova preview
American teenager Coco Gauff will take on experienced Latvian Anastasija Sevastova in the first round of the National Bank Open in Montreal.
Gauff will be playing her first competitive match in a month. The momentum she generated during the first half of the season was halted after she contacted COVID-19, which forced her out of the Tokyo Olympics. Prior to that, Gauff had won 31 of 43 matches on tour and clinched her second career title in Parma.
Gauff has impressed in the Majors as well; the 17-year-old reached her maiden Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros, before losing to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova. She then reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Sevastova has also had a solid season. The Latvian has a 20-16 win-loss record in 2021, bolstered by quarter-final runs in Eastbourne, Miami, and Adelaide.
Her level has dropped off recently though. The World No. 64 is on a three-match losing streak, having followed up a third-round exit at Wimbledon with first-round defeats in Tokyo and San Jose.
Coco Gauff vs Anastasija Sevastova head-to-head
The first-round encounter in Montreal will be the fourth match between the two players. Anastasija Sevastova leads the head-to-head 3-0 over Coco Gauff.
The pair faced each other for the first time in the first round of the 2020 US Open, where Sevastova won in three sets. The Latvian also defeated Gauff in Miami and Eastbourne this year.
Coco Gauff vs Anastasija Sevastova prediction
While Coco Gauff boasts a superior ranking and better form, her past results against Anastasija Sevastova will not inspire confidence in the young American.
Nevertheless, Gauff does have the game to defeat the Latvian. The American has a solid backhand that can produce winners at will. She also has tremendous footspeed and is one of the quickest players on the women's circuit.
Her first serve can generate plenty of free points, but her second serve is still shaky and can leak double faults under pressure.
Sevastova, meanwhile, is not the biggest hitter of the ball, but she has plenty of variety. Her slices and sharp angles will keep Gauff on her toes.
The match could come down to who shows more patience in rallies. Gauff may not have enjoyed too much success against Sevastova in the past, but she is fresh and high on confidence. The American might just emerge on the right side of a tough three-set battle.
Prediction: Coco Gauff to win in three sets.