US Open 2020: Jennifer Brady vs Anna Blinkova preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Jennifer Brady vs Anna Blinkova

Date: 31 August 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: Not before 3 pm EDT, 12:30 am IST

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

Jennifer Brady vs Anna Blinkova preview

Anna Blinkova plays a backhand

Jennifer Brady has had a solid 2020 season, and is one of the few players to have returned from the COVID break looking better than before. The American will now face World No. 60 Anna Blinkova in the first round of 2020 US Open.

Brady started the season in scintillating fashion, qualifying for the main draw at Brisbane where she upset then-World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty. She would eventually lose to Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals, but the big-hitter had a lot to take away from her campaign.

Brady would replicate her giant-killing run from Brisbane at the Dubai Duty Free Open, where she defeated Garbine Muguruza and Elina Svitolina en route a semifinal result.

After Dubai, the WTA tour was called off due to the global health crisis. But the World No. 40 used her downtime very well, improving on her already impressive game.

When tennis resumed Jennifer Brady came into the WTA Lexington event at her physical and mental peak, and won the title without dropping a set.

In contrast to Brady, Anna Blinkova has not enjoyed much success this year; has a losing 6-9 record for the season so far. The Russian has never won a match at Flushing Meadows, and will likely not be thinking too far ahead before her match against Brady.

Jennifer Brady vs Anna Blinkova head-to-head

Jennifer Brady plays a backhand at Lexington

The head-to-head between Jennifer Brady and Anna Blinkova currently stands at 1-0 in Blinkova's favor.

The first round match in New York will be the second career meeting between Brady and Blinkova, with the Russian having beaten the American in the quarterfinals of 2019 New Haven Challenger.

Jennifer Brady vs Anna Blinkova prediction

Anna Blinkova has mostly played on the Challenger circuit during her career

While Jennifer Brady has lost her only match to Anna Blinkova, those who have followed WTA tennis in 2020 would know that the American has a much cleaner game now. Having lost a few pounds and added a few mphs to her forehand, Brady looks like a different player now.

The Russian on the other hand hasn't grown much as a player since the last one year, and would be the clear underdog coming into theis match.

Prediction: Jennifer Brady to win in straight sets