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Match Details
Fixture: (4) Jelena Ostapenko vs (LL) Taylor Townsend
Date: August 9, 2024
Tournament: National Bank Open 2024
Round: Third Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Sobeys Stadium, Toronto, Canada
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: ≈$3.5 million
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Jelena Ostapenko vs Taylor Townsend preview
Fourth seed Jelena Ostapenko will face lucky loser Taylor Townsend in the third round of the Canadian Open 2024.
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Following a first-round bye, Ostapenko took on Paula Badosa in the second round, who won the Citi Open over the weekend. The two were on even terms for most of the first set, until the Spaniard surged ahead due to a three-game run, and claimed the set.
Ostapenko led by a break twice in the second set but Badosa managed to get back on serve on both occasions. The latter broke the former's serve in the 11th game to go 6-5 up, though she failed to serve out the match after that, which led to a tie-break.
Ostapenko came out on top in it to level the proceedings. Badosa's resistance crumbled in the third set as the Latvian dictated the play right from the start. The latter raced to a 5-1 lead and wrapped up the match soon after that for a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 comeback win.
Townsend initially fell in the qualifying rounds but got a second lease of life as a lucky loser. She drew Dayana Yastremska in the first round, who retired in the second set while trailing 6-3, 6-1 due to an injury.
The American was up against home favorite Marina Stakusic in the second round. Townsend breezed through the first set and didn't lose a single game in it. She blew a 3-0 lead in the second set as her opponent got back on serve but swept the next three games to score a 6-0, 6-2 win.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Taylor Townsend head-to-head
Ostapenko leads Townsend 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the US Open 2018 in three sets.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Taylor Townsend odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Jelena Ostapenko vs Taylor Townsend prediction
Townsend has made the most out of her second shot in Toronto. Aside from a brief stumble in the second set, she easily outfoxed Stakusic in the previous round. Ostapenko was on the verge of losing against Badosa but staged a comeback to begin her campaign on a winning note.
However, with 12 double faults and a total of 35 unforced errors, the Latvian has a lot of ground to make up. These stats could improve considerably in the next round given the wild fluctuations in her performance from match to match.
Townsend has the game to put Ostapenko in a spot of bother, as she proved in their previous duel at the US Open six years ago. However, she's yet to reach a tour-level quarterfinal on the main tour. The pressure to finally do so could cause her to falter yet again, giving the Lativan a huge advantage in this encounter.
Pick: Jelena Ostapenko to win in three sets.
