US Open 2020: Elise Mertens vs Laura Siegemund preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Elise Mertens vs Laura Siegemund

Date: 1 September 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: First round (Round of 128)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 11 am EDT, 8.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports Select HD 1 & 2 / Hotstar

Elise Mertens vs Laura Siegemund preview

Laura Siegemund at the Qatar Total Open 2020

16th seed Elise Mertens will kick-off her US Open campaign against Laura Siegemund in the first round in New York on Tuesday.

Mertens was in up-and-down form in 2020 and got off to a rocky start amid the restart in Palermo. After that, however, Mertens has been in inspirational form, finishing as the runner-up in Prague, eventually bowing out after losing to Simona Halep in the final. She then made an effortless transition to American hardcourts, reaching the semi-finals at the Western and Southern Open in New York.

Her match against Naomi Osaka was not ideal though, after having lost the first set she failed to take advantage of the multiple break-point opportunities in the second, ultimately losing in the tiebreak. It is not known however, if the left leg injury that kept her out of doubles in New York ahead of the semi-final played a part in her loss or not.

Mertens comes up against World No. 67 Laura Siegemund who began the restart of the 2020 season with two consecutive second round appearances in Palermo and Prague. The German came into the Western and Southern Open low on confidence but her performances in the tournament were impressive and her second-round win against Marketa Vondrousova shows that she is not afraid to mix it up against higher ranked players.

Elise Mertens vs Laura Siegemund head-to-head

Elise Mertens leads the head-to-head 1-0 against Laura Siegemund with their only meeting on the WTA Tour taking place in Rabat in 2018. The World No. 22 looked shaky early in the match and lost the first tiebreak against the German, but she rallied to take the next set and after going up a break in the third set. Siegemund retired with injury, resulting in a 6-7 6-4 3-1 (ret) win.

Elise Mertens vs Laura Siegemund prediction

Elise Mertens at the 2020 Prague Open

Given their respective rankings and the Belgian's form since the lockdown, Elise Mertens is the overwhelming favourite in their second-round match in New York on Tuesday.

Mertens' all-court game, the kind that had dominated the tour in the 2010s, has looked extremely efficient and her serving form has been solid as well. However, her inability to convert in the semifinal against Osaka was unlike her form in the rest of the season, and the extent of her left-leg injury is still unknown.

Siegemund, being an out-and-out baseliner, who is often aggressive from both wings, will not look to change up her regular playing style. To overcome the challenge against Mertens, given the proficiency in her net game, she will have to serve well and look to finish points with speed, not letting Mertens take control of the rallies.

Prediction: Elise Mertens to win in straight-sets.