US Open 2020: Karolina Pliskova vs Anhelina Kalinina preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (1) Karolina Pliskova vs Anhelina Kalinina
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: 12 pm EDT, 9:30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar
Karolina Pliskova vs Anhelina Kalinina preview
Seeded No. 1 in the absence of Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova will begin her quest for a maiden Grand Slam crown against the 145th-ranked Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina in the first round of US Open 2020.
A former runner-up at Flushing Meadows, Pliskova made the best possible start to the 2020 season by winning the Brisbane International - a Premier-level tournament. With wins over the in-form Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Alison Riske, the former World No. 1 laid down the gauntlet to her challengers.
However, Karolina Pliskova could not carry that momentum into the Australian Open, where she bowed out in the third round. The 28-year-old then failed to reach the semi-finals in three tournaments, including the Western and Southern Open this week, where she suffered an opening-round defeat by Veronika Kudermetova.
Former Junior US Open runner-up Anhelina Kalinina has failed to break into the top 100 despite showing plenty of promise. The Ukrainian, whose highest ranking was 107 in December 2018, plies her trade mostly on the ITF circuit and had a fantastic run to the final of the ITF/USTA $100,000 in February.
Karolina Pliskova vs Anhelina Kalinina head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Karolina Pliskova and Anhelina Kalinina, with the Czech holding all the aces when it comes to ranking, experience and accomplishments.
Karolina Pliskova vs Anhelina Kalinina prediction
Pliskova could not have asked for an easier match to begin her bid for her maiden Major title.
The 28-year-old has returned from the enforced COVID-19 break fresh and motivated, and while she did look rusty in her 7-5 6-4 loss to Kudermetova in the Western and Southern Open, she did show the flashes of the brilliance that took her to the US Open final four years ago. The fact that the match was played at the same venue as the US Open will work in her favour.
With Kalinina yet to play a match since the tour restarted, question marks remain over her ability to compete against a hungry and recharged Pliskova.
Prediction: Karolina Pliskova to win in straight sets.