US Open 2013: Ladies' 4th round preview

As we enter the big second week of the US Open, the road gets tougher and the opponents become even more challenging for the title contenders.

The fourth round is officially the time from which the most enthralling matches get started and this year is no exception either. The ladies’ round of 16 promises to light up the Labor Day weekend with some of the most intriguing battle on the cards.

Serena Williams (1) v Sloane Stephens (15) (Head-to-head: Tied 1-1)

Serena Williams (facing) and Sloane Stephens at the net after the latter beat her senior at the Australian Open

It’s the grudge match, the one match that had everyone talking since the draw came out. The American no. 1 takes on the American no. 2 with an eye on exacting revenge in America’s home Slam during the Labor Day weekend. Can the setting be more dramatic?

Sloane, the precocious 20-year-old, has been one of the most impressive youngsters on the Tour, especially on the elite stage. A great baseline game and lightning speed have given her the enviable record of 15-3 in majors this year but nothing was more memorable than her unbelievable Australian Open campaign when she showed the exit to the queen and title favourite, Serena, in the quarter-finals.

Seven months later, an imperious Serena gets her chance to obliterate those memories. Since then, a lot has been talked about their mutual relationship.

More importantly, Serena simply hasn’t stopped winning. With eight titles this year, she looks seriously set upon adding her 17th major.

Prediction: Serena wins in straight sets.

Li Na (5) v Jelena Jankovic (9) (Head-to-head: Tied 4-4)

Li Na

This is a well-matched face-off between two players who are supreme athletes and has wonderful movement around the court something which reflects in their even head-to-head.

Naturally, this fourth round encounter looks delicious. The first six months of 2013 have been kind to the former World No. 1 Jankovic by giving her an opportunity to show glimpses of her old competitive form but since then, she meandered through troughs until arriving at Cincinnati. With some superb wins over Sabine Lisicki, Ekaterina Makarova, Roberta Vinci and Sloane Stephens, Jankovic has given a testament of her fighting spirit once again which she had displayed so far in New York.

Li Na, the Chinese No. 1, on the other hand, has struck up a good rapport with her coach Carlos Rodriguez who previously coached Justine Henin and as a result, she is now playing with more confidence. Two semi-final showings in the run-up to New York justified that and her grudge victory over Laura Robson corroborated it further. If Li Na doesn’t show her jittery nerves once again and plays relatively error-free, she definitely is looking at a quarter-final berth.

Prediction: Li Na wins in three sets.

Victoria Azarenka (2) v Ana Ivanovic (13) (Head-to-head: Azarenka leads 4-2)

Ana Ivanovic (L), Victoria Azarenka

Q. What was the last match you won that you’d describe as a big win?Ivanovic: “Well it’s hard to remember. That’s a scary thought (smiling).”

The former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic has been pretty honest about her slump of form but in the run-up to the US Open, Ana has shown flashes of striking the ball with more ease and fluidity.

She reached the semi-finals at Carlsbad and the fourth round in Toronto and one of those losses interestingly came at the hands of the former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka was still showing effects of the injury sustained at Wimbledon.

Ivanovic brought out her competitive spirit to the fore, angling the forehands amazingly and to trouble the world no.2.

Victoria Azarenka, the Cincinnati champion, on the other hand didn’t put up an encouraging performance in her last match against Alize Cornet and if she continues in that vein, Ana will surely get truckloads of opportunities to display her thundering forehand. But it is Azarenka’s sheer willpower and insatiable hunger which will make the difference in the end.

Prediction: Azarenka wins in straight sets.

Agnieszka Radwanska (3) v Ekaterina Makarova (24) (Head-to-head: Radwanska leads 3-0)

Agnieszka Radwanska

It was touted as a rematch of the Wimbledon semi-final with Agnieszka Radwanska locking horns with Sabine Lisicki once again in the US Open fourth round.

But Russian giant-killer Ekaterina Makarova extinguished all hopes of an encore. The Russian plays a fearless brand of tennis with her lefty serve and forehand doing much of the damage just like she did against Lisicki. And she has an upset win over Serena Williams at the Australian Open, so she is no stranger to upsets either.

But would that throw Agnieszka Radwanska off the track? The Pole has never been beyond the fourth round in Flushing Meadows but having reached quarter-finals of the other three Slams this season, she would certainly like the record to continue. She emerged victorious over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her last match which was as tough as it was entertaining to watch. With her speed, guile and variety, the Polish no. 1 will surely be able to diffuse power in a match that might go the distance.

Prediction: Radwanska wins in three sets.