US Open 2020: Iga Swiatek vs Sachia Vickery preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Iga Swiatek vs Sachia Vickery
Date: 4 September 2020 (carried over from 3 September, with Vickery leading 7-6)
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*: 12 pm EDT, 9.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports & Hotstar
*The match was originally scheduled for 5.30 pm EDT on 3 September, but will now resume at 12 pm EDT on 4 Septemb
Iga Swiatek vs Sachia Vickery preview
19-year-old Iga Swiatek just played her first full season on the tour last year, but has already compiled prolific results at the Majors. Swiatek will be looking to continue this trend when she takes on local hope Sachia Vickery in the US Open second round on Thursday.
The Pole has been making huge strides on the tour lately. She reached the fourth round at the French Open last year, and repeated that result at the 2020 Australian Open before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted tennis to go into a sabbatical.
Playing in her first professional match in months at the Western & Southern Open last week, the young Swiatek was clearly not ready to compete. She lost in straight sets to Christina McHale in the first round.
But the fast-rising star, who cracked the top 50 earlier this year, was not bogged down by that as she dominated her higher-ranked opponent Veronika Kudermotova to begin her 2020 USO campaign.
The Pole was clinical on the return throughout; Swiatek won 53% of her second return points and converted five of the nine break points she produced.
Swiatek will now face off against the mercurial Sachia Vickery, who is mostly found playing ITF tournaments. The World No. 160 defeated her compatriot Taylor Townsend in the first round in straight sets.
Iga Swiatek vs Sachia Vickery head-to-head
The second-round match in New York will be the first-ever career meeting between Sachia Vickery and Iga Swiatek on the WTA tour, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Iga Swiatek vs Sachia Vickery prediction
Iga Swiatek has impressed fans ever since she played her first WTA event at Auckland last year, repeatedly showing her all-round skills. Swiatek has an aggressive style of play, aided by solid groundstrokes off both wings.
The Pole also has a cheeky drop shot which she has used to surprise many opponents over the last year and a half.
Her opponent Sachia Vickery is known more for her controversy at last year's US Open than she is known for her game. The American lost her temper at the end of her final qualifying match after a dubious medical timeout from her opponent, and later took to Twitter for some more drama.
While Vickery is a tour veteran and has had her share of good wins, she might have a tough time dealing with Swiatek's flair when they meet on Thursday.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets.