US Open 2020: Naomi Osaka vs Anett Kontaveit preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Naomi Osaka vs Anett Kontaveit
Date: 6 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 9.30 pm EDT, 7 am IST
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Naomi Osaka vs Anett Kontaveit preview
Naomi Osaka survived a scare in the third round of the US Open, having to fight back after losing the second set to talented youngster Marta Kostyuk.
The fourth seed managed to do just that, as she took the decider in rather convincing fashion. And that has been the story of quite a few of Osaka's matches after coming back from the break.
The Japanese star has managed to find a way to score wins even when she has struggled to bring out her every best tennis. She will have to do much of the same against her next opponent, Anett Kontaveit.
The Estonian has been playing some good tennis following the break herself. She reached the final at her first tournament back in Palermo, and then made a successful transition to the hard-courts - reaching the last eight of the Western & Southern Open.
Incidentally, it was Osaka who beat Kontaveit in that match. The Japanese player came out on top after dropping the first set to win in a marathon.
Kontaveit will be eyeing revenge this week, but her opponent looks to have only grown stronger in the days since. It will be interesting to see if the Estonian comes out with a different strategy in this one.
Naomi Osaka vs Anett Kontaveit head-to-head
Naomi Osaka leads the duo's head-to-head with a healthy 4-0 margin. The closest that Anett Kontaveit has ever come to an upset over her more fancied opponent was at their most recent meeting a couple of weeks ago.
Naomi Osaka vs Anett Kontaveit prediction
Naomi Osaka has been posting very solid numbers behind serve all week, and it will be tough for Anett Kontaveit to hurt her in that department.
The fourth seed is also the more powerful player off the ground. Unless Kontaveit has been able to devise a new tactic since her last loss, her only real play would be to try and wear Osaka out in the longer rallies.
The pressure of having lost all of their previous meetings would also be playing on the mind of the Estonian. It will take an extraordinary mental and physical effort from the underdog to score an upset win here.
Prediction: Naomi Osaka to win in three sets.