US Open 2020: Jessica Pegula vs Kirsten Flipkens preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Jessica Pegula vs Kirsten Flipkens

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: 1.30 pm EDT, 1 pm IST

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

Jessica Pegula vs Kirsten Flipkens preview

Kirsten Flipkens at the 2020 Women's ASB Classic

Jessica Pegula will look to continue her excellent form on the American hardcourts as she takes on Kirsten Flipkens in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday.

Pegula was at her battling best in the first round as she overcame Marie Bouzkova with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 win. That comes on the back of an outstanding run at the Western & Southern Open in Flushing Meadows, where she reached the quarterfinals.

The American defeated the likes of Jennifer Brady, Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova before she bowed out to Elise Mertens in the final eight.

Her opponent on Wednesday, Kirsten Flipkens, is no amateur on the tour. The Belgian has been a regular feature at Grand Slam events since 2009.

Flipkens was not in the best form at the start of 2020, but her run at the Western & Southern Open will have inspired some confidence. She strung together a couple of impressive wins, in particular against Katerina Siniakova, before she bowed out to Johanna Konta in the round of 16.

Jessica Pegula vs Kirsten Flipkens head-to-head

The second round match at Flushing Meadows is the first between Jessica Pegula and Kirsten Flipkens, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Their rankings are similar too; Pegula is ranked 63rd and Flipkens 72nd as per the WTA rankings.

Jessica Pegula vs Kirsten Flipkens prediction

Jessica Pegula at the 2020 Top Seed Open

Given Jessica Pegula's excellent run at Flushing Meadows last week, she will come into the second round match as the favorite. But Kirsten Flipkens is a former Wimbledon semifinalist, and she can use her big-stage experience to unsettle Pegula's aggressive baseline game.

Both players cover the court well and do not struggle with agility. Flipkens' powerful forehand will be an asset while her backhand slice can be tricky to deal with. But Pegula will look to out-hit her opponent on the day, something she has succeeded with in the recent past.

Pegula's return of serve will be put to the test by Flipkens, but given her recent form from the baseline, she should overcome the challenge.

Prediction: Jessica Pegula to win in three sets.