Betting-Previews.com brings you 2021 US Open betting previews, and predictions for two 1/8 finals matches. Here are our picks and predictions for Barbora Krejcikova vs Garbine Muguruza and Elise Mertens vs Aryna Sabalenka.
Elise Mertens vs Aryna Sabalenka
When: Sunday, September 5 – 14:30 EDT
Where: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York
Weather: Cloudy, 23°C
Elise Mertens is only one step away from reaching her third consecutive US Open quarter-finals; but, it’s hard to be overly excited about her chances to do so. The 25-year-old has done well so far, beating the likes of Rebecca Peterson (3-6, 7-6, 7-6), Valentini Grammatikopoulou (6-2, 6-2) and Ons Jabeur (6-3, 7-5), however, she now has to face Aryna Sabalenka, who she has not won against since 2019.
Across the last two years, Sabalenka won all four meetings with the Belgian tennis player and is 5-2 in the head-to-head over the years.
These two last met in May, at Madrid Open, when Mertens withdrew after trailing 0-4 in the final set. Before that, the two met in Linz in November 2020, when the current no.2 won in straight sets (7-6, 6-2).
You could argue that Sabalenka could have done better in her opening rounds of the 2021 US Open, seeing how she needed three sets against her R1 opponent, Nina Stojanovic (6-4, 6-7, 6-0). However, Sabalenka looked much better in her next two – against Tamara Zidansek (6-3, 6-1) and Danielle Collins (6-3, 6-3).
Mertens enters this match with a 6-4 record across her last 10, which includes losses against world no.34 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the 1/32 finals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The remaining three were straight-set losses against Daria Kasatkina in San Jose, Camila Giorgi in Montreal, and Rybakina in Cincinnati.
Sabalenka is 7-3 in her last 10, with losses against Donna Vekic (1-2) in Tokyo, 0-2 against Karolina Pliskova in Montreal, and 1-2 against Paula Badosa Gibert in Cincinnati.
Even though Sabalenka has had some slip-ups in August and early into the 2021 US Open, she is rounding into form and should be able to get it done in two sets!
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka -1.5 sets – 1.98 at Sportmarket
Barbora Krejcikova vs Garbine Muguruza
When: Sunday, September 5 – 21:00 EDT
Where: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York
Weather: Cloudy, 21°C
We trusted Garbine Muguruza to deliver on Friday against Victoria Azarenka, and she didn’t disappoint. The 27-year-old won the match in three sets (2-1), with 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, to take one step closer to her third Grand Slam.
Her next opponent, Barbora Krejcikova has yet to be challenged at the 2021 US Open. The French Open champion eased past Astra Sharma in the first round (6-0, 6-4) and added two more convincing wins against Christina McHale (6-3, 6-1) and Kamila Rakhimova (6-4, 6-2).
Although remarkable results, it’s fair to mention that not one of her opponents so far was ranked inside the top-100. It goes without saying that the Czech can be happy with the favorable draw, granted she has done well against other top-rated players before, so it’s not like she doesn’t deserve to be where she is.
Over the year, Krejcikova has already beaten Sofia Kenin, Maria Sakkari, Elena Rybakina, and even Muguruza, who she last met in Cincinnati and won with 6-1, 6-8, 6-2. Although a painful loss for Muguruza, we wouldn’t overreact to it, knowing that she has beaten Krejcikova (7-6, 6-3) earlier this year in Dubai.
What’s more, Muguruza has had a much more challenging draw at the 2021 US Open, and if she was able to deliver against Donna Vekic, Azarenka, and Andrea Petkovic, the former no.1 should do fine against Krejcikova as well, especially considering that she is a big tournament player. We like Muguruza to continue her career-best run at the US Open.
Prediction: Garbine Muguruza to win – 2.15 at Sportmarket
