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In what could be one of the closest matches at the US Open, Ashleigh Barty and Sloane Stephens, both showing strong form will go at it for a spot in the fourth round. Join The Roar for live scores from around 3am (AEST).
With multiple seeds being bounced out in the women’s draw, there is plenty on offer for both of these players, given they are both unseeded.
Barty was ranked No.43 coming into the final grand slam of the year after some impressive form in the lead-up, which saw her make the third round at both Cincinnati and Toronto.
Stephens, despite being ranked a whole 40 spots below Barty was in even better form. By no means did she have easy runs through either tournament, but playing in the same places as Barty, she made the semi-finals of both going down to Caroline Wozniacki and world No.2 Simona Halep.
In comparing form though, it’s important to note Stephens received a wildcard to both of those tournaments, while Barty had to qualify, meaning fatigue would have been setting in by the back end of the week.
Both players have made strong starts at Flushing Meadows as well, overcoming the odds to make the third round of the final grand slam on the calendar.
Barty had to fight her way past 21st seed Ana Jonjuh in the first round. Losing the first set 6-4, she then took over the match, winning 12 of the next 13 games to record a convincing victory.
Her second round effort was a lot easier as she eased her way past Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 7-6, winning the tie-breaker 9-7. Holding her nerve under pressure is something Barty does reasonably well, winning plenty of close matches.
It’s something she will need against Stephens as well, with the home crowd on Louis Armstrong likely to get behind the American. She started the grand slam against Roberta Vinci, serving her way to a 7-5, 6-1 victory and barely looking challenged in the second set.
She then took on the dangerous tenth seed Dominika Cibulkova, winning the first set convincingly, dropping her bundle to lose the second 7-5 and then bouncing back to win the final 6-3.
Stephens has been making a lot of first serves (71 per cent against Cibulkova) and playing percentages, and it indicates this could be a slow, grinding sort of match with a lot of momentum swings.
The pair have never played before this match and the winner will take on either Alexsandra Krunic or 30th seed Julia Goerges in the fourth round.
Prediction
Stephens will have the home crowd behind her and is in great form, but whether the crowd acts as a hindrance when she comes up against someone of Barty’s level remains to be seen. The Australian will advance to the fourth round in a close one.
Barty in three sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this match from around 3am (AEST) or at the completion of Nicolas Mahut versus Pablo Carreno Busta on the Louis Armstrong Court and don’t forget to add a comment below.