US Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka vs Lucia Bronzetti preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (2) Aryna Sabalenka vs Lucia Bronzetti

Date: August 28, 2024

Tournament: US Open 2024

Round: Second Round (Round of 64)

Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, U.S.

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $75,000,000

Live Telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN, RDS | India - Sony Network

Aryna Sabalenka vs Lucia Bronzetti preview

Aryna Sabalenka practices ahead of the 2024 US Open (Picture: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka will continue her quest for a maiden US Open title against Italy's Lucia Bronzetti in the second round on Wednesday, August 28.

Sabalenka entered New York with a 39-11 match record for the season. She had an impressive American hardcourt swing leading up to the tournament. It began with a run to the semifinals in Washington and then a disappointing quarterfinal exit in Toronto, at the hands of eventual runner-up Amanda Anisimova.

The Belarusian turned her season around in Cincinnati, however, powering to the final without dropping a set all week. Her impressive run included victories over Elina Svitolina, Liudmila Samsonova, Iga Swiatek, and Jessica Pegula, earning her second title of the season and her sixth WTA 1000 title. She also retained the No. 2 position in the WTA rankings following her triumph.

In the US Open, Sabalenka kicked off her campaign against Priscilla Hon in the first round. Hon had opportunities to even the score later in the match, leading 0-40 on Sabalenka's serve, but was unable to capitalize on the advantage. The Belarusian ultimately closed out the match with a routine 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Bronzetti entered the US Open with a 19-25 match record for the season. Her best result was reaching the quarterfinals at the Morocco Open. In the lead-up to the New York Major, she competed in the Cincinnati Open and Tennis in the Land events but was eliminated in the first round by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and Arantxa Rus, respectively.

Bronzetti began her campaign at Flushing Meadows against the in-form Lulu Sun. She won the first set quite comfortably, but the match made headlines due to Sun’s awkward and painful spin on Bronzetti's set point. The moment proved decisive as Sun was ultimately forced to retire from the match and hand the Italian a 6-3 win.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Lucia Bronzetti head-to-head

Aryna Sabalenka edges Lucia Bronzetti 1-0 in their head-to-head, convincingly winning their only previous encounter 6-3, 6-0 at the Brisbane International at the start of the year.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Lucia Bronzetti odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Aryna Sabalenka
Lucia Bronzetti

(Odds to be added once available)

Aryna Sabalenka vs Lucia Bronzetti prediction

Lucia Bronzetti in action at the French Open (Picture: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka's recent form makes her a strong contender for this year's US Open title. Her blistering pace and tenacious play have proven too much for opponents so far and could present significant challenges on the fast hard courts at Flushing Meadows going forward. She was particularly impressive on return during her opener, breaking serve four times out of seven and winning 47% of receiving points, in addition to her usual dominant play on serve.

In contrast, Lucia Bronzetti has struggled with form this season, particularly on hard courts. She has failed to win more than two matches in a row and often falters under pressure against higher-ranked opponents. Her first-round victory came more from her opponent’s retirement than from a decisive performance by Bronzetti.

Defending runner-up Sabalenka should advance through this match with relative ease, given all the factors mentioned above. Her decisive victory over Bronzetti earlier this year in Brisbane will also boost her confidence heading into the encounter.

Pick: Sabalenka in straight sets.