US Open 2022: Emma Raducanu vs Alize Cornet preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (11) Emma Raducanu vs Alize Cornet.
Date: August 30, 2022.
Tournament: US Open 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 128).
Venue: New York, United States.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $60,102,000.
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & ESPN2 | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sony Liv, Sony Ten & Sony Six.
Emma Raducanu vs Alize Cornet preview
Emma Raducanu will kick off her US Open title defence against France's Alize Cornet on Tuesday.
Since her crowning moment in New York last year, Raducanu has struggled to replicate that success elsewhere. She started the season by receiving a 6-0, 6-1 lashing from Elena Rybakina in Sydney. At the Australian Open, she lost in the second round to Danka Kovinic.
The Brit won just one match across her next three events in Guadalajara, Indian Wells and Miami. She won two matches in a row for the first time this season to reach the quarterfinals in Stuttgart, where she was stopped by World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Find a better pair of Grand Slam R1 matches than these.
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The teenager then made it to the third round in Madrid, but was forced to retire from her first-round match in Rome due to an injury. Aliaskandra Sasnovich ended her French Open campaign in the second round and her Wimbledon journey concluded in the second round as well.
Raducanu reached her second quarterfinal of the year at the Citi Open but fell in the opening round of the Canadian Open later on. She scored wins over Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka in Cincinnati before falling to Jessica Pegula. A year later, she's back to where it all began for her.
Cornet is having one of the most memorable seasons of her career. She finally reached her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal this year by making the last eight at the Australian Open, achieving this feat in her 63rd Major appearance. The Frenchwoman then won just one match across her next five tournaments.
Her best result during the clay swing was reaching the third round of the Charleston Open and the French Open. She performed better during the grass season. The 32-year-old reached her first semifinal of the season at the Bad Homburg Open. At Wimbledon, she snapped Swiatek's 37-match winning streak in the third round by defeating her in straight sets before losing to Ajla Tomljanovic.
After early losses in Canada and Cincinnati, she is currently in the semifinals at the WTA 250 in Cleveland. She'll take on Aliaksandra Sasnovich for a spot in the final.
Emma Raducanu vs Alize Cornet head-to-head
The two have not faced off before, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Emma Raducanu vs Alize Cornet odds
(All odds sourced from BetMGM.)
Emma Raducanu vs Alize Cornet prediction
Cornet is a tough opponent to face early on. The Frenchwoman has scored a victory over a Grand Slam champion in each of the previous three Majors this year. She'll be eyeing another big scalp in the form of Raducanu in New York.
While Cornet might not be able to blow the teenager off the court, she's still a top-class counterpuncher who does quite well in return games as well. Raducanu performed at a pretty good level in her previous tournament. Her serve was clicking and her shots were perfectly placed too, with good pace on them.
The Brit is under pressure to defend a Major for the first time in her career, but it could also motivate her to raise her level. Cornet thrives in these kinds of matches and would love to cause an upset yet again. The Frenchwoman will provide a tough test to the defending champion, but Raducanu should manage to pull off an escape act.
Pick: Emma Raducanu to win in three sets.