US Open 2020: CiCi Bellis vs Jennifer Brady preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: CiCi Bellis vs Jennifer Brady

Date: 2 September 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: Second round (Round of 64)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 12.30 pm EDT, 10 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar

CiCi Bellis vs Jennifer Brady preview

Catherine 'CiCi' Bellis will take on 28th seed Jennifer Brady in an all-American second-round showdown at the 2020 US Open.

CiCi Bellis achieved overnight stardom when she reached the second round at the US Open back in 2014, aged just 15. The teenager even made steady progress in the succeeding years, and broke into the top 50 in 2017.

However, an injury-plagued 18-month spell across 2018 and 2019 forced Bellis to start from square one again. And the American showed plenty of grit in making a stunning comeback at this year's Australian Open, where she reached the third round.

Bellis had to dig very deep in her opening match at the US Open against German Tamara Korpatsch; she won in three sets after losing the first in a close tiebreak. The 21-year-old isn't expected to have it much easier against her seeded compatriot in the next round.

Jennifer Brady is in splendid form

World No. 41 Jennifer Brady received a surprise seeding for her home Grand Slam, on account of the multiple withdrawals. But it was well-deserved anyway, given that the American was one of the most in-form players heading into the Flushing Meadows double-header.

Brady won her first career title in Lexington last month, where she didn't drop a set all week. However, her confidence took a bit of a hit with an opening-round exit at the Western & Southern Open.

In her opening match at the US Open on Monday, Brady showed some of her Lexington form; she won in straight sets, breaking her opponent four times.

CiCi Bellis vs Jennifer Brady head-to-head

Cici Bellis spent 18 months on the sidelines in 2018-19

The head-to-head between CiCi Bellis and Jennifer Brady currently stands at 1-0 in favor of Bellis.

The younger American won the only meeting between the duo back at the WTA Sydney 2018 quarterfinals, and that too in straight sets.

CiCi Bellis vs Jennifer Brady prediction

CiCi Bellis has been slowly getting back to her best level since her return in November 2019 from multiple surgeries. Playing at her home Slam for the first time since 2017, Bellis experienced some understandable nerves as she fought off a tough challenge in the first round.

She will have to play much better if she is to beat her in-form fellow American and match her best result at Slams by reaching the third round.

Jennifer Brady cruised through her first round match in just 76 minutes, so she is certainly in good rhythm. Although she lost in the opening round at the Australian Open, Brady has scored some big wins this year - over the likes of Maria Sharapova, Ash Barty, Elina Svitolina and Garbine Muguruza.

Brady's form makes her the obvious favorite going into the second round on Wednesday. But CiCi Bellis can certainly push her compatriot hard and has the potential to cause an upset.

Prediction: Jennifer Brady to win in three sets.