Match Details
Fixture: (9) Madison Keys vs Daria Kasatkina.
Date: April 7, 2023.
Tournament: Charleston Open 2023.
Round: Quarterfinals.
Venue: Charleston, USA.
Category: WTA 500.
Surface: Outdoor clay (green).
Prize money: $780,637.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Madison Keys vs Daria Kasatkina preview
Ninth seed Madison Keys will take on third seed Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals of the Charleston Open on Friday.
Keys started the WTA 500 event with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Emma Navarro before defeating Hailey Baptiste 6-1, 6-2 to reach the third round. Here, she was up against eighth seed Magda Linette.
Keys started the match well and won the opening set 6-2. However, Linette bounced back and took the second set 6-3 to take the match to a decider. The former then won the final set 6-3 to book her place in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Kasatkina entered the Charleston Open as the third seed, thus receiving a bye to the second round. She beat Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-1 to reach the Round of 16.
The Russian then took on Bernarda Pera in the third round and started the match on the front foot, winning the opening set 6-3. The second set was tightly contested, with both players exchanging breaks. Kasatkina had a couple of match points but Pera saved them.
The Russian then saved a couple of set points to take the set to a tiebreaker, which she won 7-3 to book her place in the quarterfinals.
Madison Keys vs Daria Kasatkina head-to-head
Keys leads 8-1 in the head-to-head against Kasatkina. The last meeting between the two came in the second round of the San Diego Open, with Keys winning 6-4, 6-3.
Madison Keys vs Daria Kasatkina odds
Madison Keys vs Daria Kasatkina prediction
Kasatkina might be the higher-ranked player, but Keys' form has been better so far and she will be favored to come out on top. That said, the former has produced some pretty good performances lately and has largely done well on clay.
Keys is a very powerful striker of the ball and will look to be aggressive from the start of the match. The American also has a strong serve and will aim to fetch as many free points from it as she can. However, she will have to be careful not to hit too many unforced errors.
Kasatkina's counterpunching style is the ideal foil to Keys' more aggressive game. The Russian does not shy away from hard hitting, but she mostly looks to outsmart her player through calculated shots. She also has an array of shots which she can use, especially her topspin forehand which will be very useful on clay.
Keys has been in better form and has won most of her matches against Kasatkina. However, the latter is playing on her favorite surface and there is a fair chance of her coming out on top.
Pick: Daria Kasatkina to win in three sets.