Roland Garros: Jelena Ostapenko vs Madison Brengle preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020
Match details
Fixture: Jelena Ostapenko vs Madison Brengle
Date: 29th September 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000
Match timing: 11 am CEST, 2.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
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Jelena Ostapenko vs Madison Brengle preview
2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko will take on World No. 78 Madison Brengle on Tuesday in the first round of the 2020 French Open.
After ending 2019 on a high with a title at Luxembourg and a runner-up finish at Linz, Jelena Ostapenko hasn't been able to carry that momentum into the new season. Her win-loss record for the year has so far is a dismal 6-6.
In four of the five tournaments she has played in 2020, the World No. 43 has bowed out before the quarterfinals - the only exception being Strasbourg. It was there that she finally made it to the last eight stage, rediscovering some of her rhythm and range.
A couple of good wins there along with a fighting 6-7(2), 6-7(4) loss to Japan's Nao Hibino should boost Ostapenko's confidence as she arrives at the Slam where she lifted the trophy three years ago.
American journeywoman Madison Brengle, meanwhile, had her breakout season in 2015 as she made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open - her best showing in any Slam so far. Her consistent results in the first half of that season propelled her to a career-high ranking of No. 35.
The 30-year-old has also registered wins against superstars like Serena Williams and Petra Kvitova over the course of her career.
At present, Brengle will be heading to Roland Garros with a 12-9 record for the year. The World No. 78 had her best performance of the season at a lower-level WTA 125k event in January, where she emerged victorious.
The last tournament that Brengle played was the US Open, where she reached the third round. She hasn't played any warm-up tournament on clay.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Madison Brengle head-to-head
Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Brengle have squared off thrice so far with the Latvian having a 2-1 edge in the head-to-head rivalry. Interestingly, all three of their meetings happened in 2017.
Ostapenko got the better of Brengle in their first two showdowns - in Auckland and Acapulco. But the American stormed back to take the third match, at Miami.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Madison Brengle prediction
A counterpuncher by nature, Madison Brengle has a penchant for engaging her opponents in long rallies and coaxing errors out of their racquets. But that isn't the kind of style which will match up well against someone as aggressive as Jelena Ostapenko.
If the former World No. 5 can find the range on her fiery forehand like she did at Strasbourg, she is unlikely to face too many problems against Brengle.
Prediction: Jelena Ostapenko to win in straight sets.
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