US Open 2020: Angelique Kerber vs Anna-Lena Friedsam preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (17) Angelique Kerber vs Anna-Lena Friedsam
Date: 2 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 11 am EDT, 8.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar
Angelique Kerber vs Anna-Lena Friedsam preview
2016 champion Angelique Kerber takes on Anna-Lena Friedsam in an all-German second-round encounter at the US Open on Wednesday.
Kerber returned to action for the first time in seven months at the US Open, dispatching the dangerous Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-4 to start her Flushing Meadows campaign.
The German southpaw utilized her time away from the court in the best way possible, joining forces with former coach Torben Beltz in an effort to add to her collection of three Grand Slams.
The partnership gave her so much confidence that she decided to fly to New York without playing any warm-up event prior to the Slam, with her last event the Australian Open in January.
Anna-Lena Friedsam, meanwhile, is on the comeback trail after a couple of shoulder surgeries ravaged her last three years. The German made it to the second week of a Slam for the first time in her career in 2016 when she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open.
She even backed it up with a run to the third round of Wimbledon that same year before troubles with her right shoulder began to flare up.
Now, having finally put all of her injury woes behind her, Friedsam is once again looking to make a statement on the tour. With a new voice in her team to guide her, the World No. 109 dazzled at Lyon in February where she made the final. At the US Open, she made a promising start with a 6-2, 6-2 drubbing of the 135th-ranked Caroline Dolehide.
Angelique Kerber vs Anna-Lena Friedsam head-to-head
Angelique Kerber has always had the upper hand in this all-German rivalry, with both previous meetings going the three-time Grand Slam winner's way.
The two first locked horns on the claycourts of Nuremberg in 2014 where Kerber staved off a late challenge from Friedsam for a 6-2, 7-6(0) win. The second showdown came after a gap of four years at the 2018 Australian Open. The change in surface made no difference to the outcome as Kerber blasted her way to a 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Angelique Kerber vs Anna-Lena Friedsam prediction
Angelique Kerber's rustiness was evident against Ajla Tomljanovic as she struck just 15 winners while making 24 unforced errors. The German also committed five double faults but the one area she was absolutely flawless was break point conversion as she won each of her five break points.
While her performance against Tomljanovic would give her plenty of confidence, she still has plenty of work to do if she intends to make a deep run. Given her record against Friedsam, Kerber will fancy her chances of sealing a third-round berth.
Prediction: Angelique Kerber to win in straight sets.