US Open 2020: Dayana Yastremska vs Astra Sharma preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (19) Dayana Yastremska vs Astra Sharma
Date: 31 August 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 5:30 pm EDT, 3 am IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar.
Dayana Yastremska vs Astra Sharma preview
Dayana Yastremska, one of the brightest young guns on the WTA Tour, begins her bid for a maiden Slam title when she meets Astra Sharma of Australia in the first round of the 2020 US Open.
The 20-year-old has been one of the fast-rising stars in the last couple of years. Her three titles bear testimony to her immense talent, something she proved once again this year. In a sizzling start to the season, she made it to the final in Adelaide before falling to Ashleigh Barty.
Yastremska was in fine fettle when the tour restarted, as was evident in her run to the Palermo quarterfinals . Two more match wins at her next stop at the Western and Southern Open seems to have given her the required match-play before a Grand Slam tournament.
Astra Sharma's biggest achievement so far remains her stunning run to the final of the Australian Open mixed doubles in 2019 alongside her compatriot John-Patrick Smith. In singles, the 24-year-old has reached a career-high ranking of 85 but is currently ranked 126th in the world.
In her breakthrough 2019 season, Sharma reached her only WTA final at the Claro Open Colsanitas in Bogota, Colombia. This year, her best performance has been a Round-of-16 appearance at WTA Monterrey after qualifying for the main draw.
Dayana Yastremska vs Astra Sharma head-to-head
Their US Open opener will mark the first competitive meeting Dayana Yastremska and Astra Sharma.
Yastremska has been a Top-50 mainstay for than a year and a half now and has been pretty consistent on the tour, which gives her a clear edge over the Australian.
Dayana Yastremska vs Astra Sharma prediction
Even though Dayana Yastremska is expected to reach the second round without any hiccups, her match against Astra Sharma could be more of a test of her fitness rather than tactics.
The Ukrainian was involved in a couple of gruelling three-setters against Venus Williams and Bernarda Pera at the Western and Southern Open last week. Her movement was subsequently hampered by an ankle injury that severely inhibited her in a 3-6, 1-6 hammering at the hands of Naomi Osaka.
The short turnaround between Cincinnati and the US Open could present a challenge for the youngster as she looks to make her Major breakthrough in a depleted women's singles draw.
Prediction: Dayana Yastremska to win in straight sets.