US Open 2020: Naomi Osaka vs Marta Kostyuk preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Naomi Osaka vs Marta Kostyuk
Date: 4 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
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 / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Naomi Osaka vs Marta Kostyuk preview
Former champion and fourth seed Naomi Osaka seems to be growing stronger with every match here in New York.
The 22-year-old was absolutely clinical in her win over an erratic Camila Giorgi in the second round of the US Open. The performance left behind any doubts surrounding a hamstring injury that she had sustained coming into the tournament.
Osaka will be looking to continue the winning run at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center against her next opponent, Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.
The 18-year-old is playing in the main draw of the US Open for the first time, but she seems to be feeling at home on the New York city courts.
Kostyuk took out seasoned opponents in the form of Anastasjia Sevastova and Daria Kasatkina in her opening two matches. Both of those wins came in straight sets, and would have worked as huge confidence boosters.
The teenager will also have fond memories from the venue, having won the junior doubles crown here a few years ago. Kostyuk also has a junior singles Australian Open title to her name, which is strong evidence of her prowess on the surface.
That said, playing an-song Osaka on a big court would be a whole different ball game.
Naomi Osaka vs Marta Kostyuk head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between the two women, so their current head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Naomi Osaka and Marta Kostyuk have a similar style of play; they both employ an aggressive baseline-oriented game punctuated with a high number of groundstroke winners. However, their level of experience on the big stage is vastly mismatched.
Naomi Osaka vs Marta Kostyuk prediction
Even though both women have scored dominant wins this week, it is Naomi Osaka who packs the bigger punch with her first serve and forehand. The Japanese has been striking the ball beautifully this week, and has also managed to fix the minor issues that she was facing in her service motion at the Western & Southern Open.
Osaka is the definitive favorite heading into this one. To be able to stage an upset, Marta Kostyuk will have to pull out something extraordinary - which is a tall order given her age.
Prediction: Naomi Osaka to win in straight sets.