Cincinnati 2021: Angelique Kerber vs Jelena Ostapenko preview, head-to-head & prediction | Western & Southern Open

Match details

Fixture: Angelique Kerber vs Jelena Ostapenko

Date: 19 August 2021

Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2021

Round: Third round (Round of 16)

Venue: Cincinnati, United States

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $1,835,490

Match timing: 11 am local time, 3 pm GMT, 8.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Angelique Kerber vs Jelena Ostapenko preview

Angelique Kerber will take on Jelena Ostapenko in the third round of the 2021 Western & Southern Open on Thursday. Kerber beat fourth seed Elina Svitolina 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in the second round on Wednesday, while Jennifer Brady's second-set retirement allowed Ostapenko to progress too.

Although Kerber kick-started her year with a quarterfinal appearance at the Grampians Trophy, she failed to register any deep runs in the next few tournaments. The German then saw a massive shift in momentum at Bad Homburg, where she won her 13th career title and first since 2018.

Up until that tournament, Kerber had a dismal win-loss record of 9-10 for the year. That changed considerably as the grasscourt season went on; the 33-year-old advanced to the semifinals of Wimbledon, where she lost to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty.

Kerber is now back in action for the first time since the Championships. The three-time Grand Slam winner would be hoping to go all the way in Cincinnati, where she has reached two finals in the past (2012 and 2016).

Jelena Ostapenko hitting a backhand

Her opponent on Thursday, Jelena Ostapenko, has had mediocre results for much of the season. However, the Latvian did have an upturn in fortunes on the grasscourts of Eastbourne, where she won her fourth career title and first since 2019.

A regular doubles player, Ostapenko reached the final in Doha earlier this year, partnering Monica Niculescu. She made her second appearance at the Olympics last month, but was unable to win any matches there.

The World No. 32 had never made it past the second round here in Cincinnati, but has already gone a step further this week. She would now be hoping to produce a deep run here before shifting her focus on to the US Open.

Angelique Kerber vs Jelena Ostapenko head-to-head

Angelique Kerber and Jelena Ostapenko have met twice before, and their head-to-head is currently tied at 1-1. Ostapenko won their most recent meeting in three sets, which took place at the 2021 Italian Open.

Angelique Kerber vs Jelena Ostapenko prediction

Jelena Ostapenko likes to be aggressive from the baseline, while Angelique Kerber maneuvers her way through rallies with her sharp angles and defensive skills.

Although Ostapenko's heavy ball-striking does earn her loads of winners, she often lacks control over her power and ends up conceding unforced errors. That could be especially costly against a dogged player like Kerber, who doesn't give away anything easily.

Angelique Kerber serving at Wimbledon

Neither woman is the biggest of servers, and they are both also prone to leaking double faults. Needless to say, maintaining a good first-serve percentage will be one of the keys in the match on Thursday.

The match will likely rest on Ostapenko's racket, but Kerber knows how to defuse the power of her opponents and she should be considered a slight favorite.

Prediction: Angelique Kerber to win in three sets.