US Open 2021: Naomi Osaka vs Olga Danilovic preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (3) Naomi Osaka vs Olga Danilovic
Date: 1 September 2021
Tournament: 2021 US Open
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $40,560,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN/ESPN 2 | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Naomi Osaka vs Olga Danilovic preview
US Open 2020 champion Naomi Osaka got her title defence off to a solid start on Monday, winning 6-4, 6-1 against Marie Bouzkova. The third seed will now take on qualifier Olga Danilovic in the Round of 64.
Osaka looked in fine touch against Bouzkova, winning 46% of her return points and conceding no breaks of her own. But her first serve was a bit of a concern, as she managed to land it just 47% of the time. Her success rate was high when she did manage to get it in though, winning 81% of the points.
The Japanese star looked solid from the baseline, dishing out powerful and accurate groundstrokes throughout. She slammed 34 winners and committed 23 unforced errors while saving eight break points, which will give her plenty of confidence going into the second round.
Speaking of confidence, Olga Danilovic will also back herself ahead of the match on Wednesday. The qualifier has had a near-perfect run in New York so far, winning four straight matches; she's lost just one set across all of them.
Danilovic looked solid against Alycia Parks in the first round, winning 6-3, 7-5. The Serb was the higher-ranked player between the two, and played like it. She got broken just once in the match, winning 72% of her service points.
The 20-year-old had been in top form even before the US Open, making back-to-back quarterfinals in Budapest and Palermo.
Naomi Osaka vs Olga Danilovic head-to-head
Naomi Osaka and Olga Danilovic have not met on tour before. Hence, their head-to-head is currently tied at 0-0.
Naomi Osaka vs Olga Danilovic prediction
While her serve was slightly out of sync in the first round, the rest of Naomi Osaka's game looked good against Marie Bouzkova. Needless to say, the dominant performance bodes well for the rest of her tournament.
Like Osaka, Olga Danilovic also deploys an offensive style of play. In 2018 she became the first player born after 2000 to win a WTA title, so she knows how to handle the pressure of the big stage.
The 20-year-old will be keen to get back to that rich vein of form with an upset over the defending champion. However, Osaka is very accustomed to playing in New York, and her serve might end up making the difference on Wednesday.
Prediction: Naomi Osaka to win in three sets.