US Open 2021: Emma Raducanu vs Stefanie Voegele preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (Q) Emma Raducanu vs (LL) Stefanie Voegele

Date: 31 August 2021

Tournament: US Open 2021

Round: First round (Round of 128)

Venue: New York, United States

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $40,560,000

Match timing: Approx. 1 pm local time, 5 pm GMT, 10.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Emma Raducanu vs Stefanie Voegele preview

Rising star Emma Raducanu will lock horns with lucky loser Stefanie Voegele in the first round of the 2021 US Open on Tuesday.

Raducanu, 18, was initially drawn to face Jennifer Brady in her opener, but the American withdrew due to injury. Voegele, who fell in the final qualifying round, took Brady's spot in the draw as a lucky loser.

The difference in experience between Raducanu and Voegele is quite stark. Voegele made her US Open main-draw debut back in 2008, while the Brit will be making her debut at this year's edition.

Raducanu announced herself at Wimbledon a couple of months ago, where she made the fourth round. The teenager also finished as the runner-up at the WTA 125 event in Chicago last week, before going on to win all three of her qualifying rounds at the US Open without dropping a set.

enjoying my first pro us open🤗 pic.twitter.com/EAoVe6I2ud

— Emma Raducanu (@EmmaRaducanu) August 27, 2021

Voegele, 31, has a 1-9 win-loss record in the US Open main draw. Her only win at Flushing Meadows came in 2009, when she beat Alberta Brianti.

Slams have not been a happy hunting ground for the Swiss in recent years. Her last win at a Major came at the 2017 Australian Open, where she made the second round. Since then, Voegele has lost a whopping eight main draw matches at Slams.

Emma Raducanu vs Stefanie Voegele head-to-head

Emma Raducanu and Stefanie Voegele have never faced each other on tour before, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Emma Raducanu vs Stefanie Voegele prediction

Emma Raducanu will be making her US Open debut.

Stefanie Voegele is a player who does not like extended rallies, and struggles on the defensive side of the game. She also has a knack for staying rooted to the baseline, so Emma Raducanu's variety could leave her flat-footed.

Raducanu has a playing style that is well-suited to counter Voegele's baseline game. The Brit is very athletic and has strong defense, meaning it would be tough for Voegele to hit through her with her flat groundstrokes.

Raducanu's backhand, in particular, is deceptively potent. She has the ability to produce powerful down-the-line winners off that wing when put under pressure.

While Raducanu's serve could be vulnerable to Voegele's return, the rest of her game is expected to hold firm against the Swiss.

Prediction: Emma Raducanu to win in three sets.