US Open 2020: Milos Raonic vs Vasek Pospisil preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Milos Raonic vs Vasek Pospisil

Date: 3 September 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: Second round (Round of 64)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 12.30 pm EDT, 10 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar

Milos Raonic vs Vasek Pospisil preview

The second round of the 2020 US Open will feature a mouthwatering all-Candian clash, with Milos Raonic all set to take on compatriot Vasek Pospisil on Thursday.

The 25th seeded Raonic has entered the tournament on the back of some solid results this season. The big-serving Canadian made the quarterfinals at the Australian Open in January, and also the Cincinnati Masters final just last week.

But to be able to continue his run, he will have to figure out a way to move past his talented countryman - who has been playing some fine tennis himself.

Vasek Pospisil re-entered the top 100 rankings at the start of the year

Vasek Pospisil was a top-30 regular up until a few years ago, but back-to-back injuries and time off the court saw his ranking drop steeply. The Canadian made a comeback last year, and has been on a comeback trail ever since.

He did score solid wins over Karen Khachanov and Diego Schwartzman at the back end of last year, and has carried that form into the new season. He was incredible during the European hard-court swing, where he made a final and beat more big names including Denis Shapovalov and Daniil Medvedev.

Pospisil, much like opponent, has a big serve and powerful groundstrokes that are bound to work well in New York. We can expect a lot of quick games and tiebreaker sets heading in this one.

Milos Raonic vs Vasek Pospisil head-to-head

Milos Raonic will be eyeing a deep run at this year's tournament.

Milos Raonic leads the head-to-head against Vasek Pospisil with a slender 2-1 margin, but it is Pospisil who came out on top in their last meeting. That encounter came in on the hardcourts of Antwerp in 2018, with the lower-ranked Canadian winning in straight sets.

Both men have underperformed in New York in the past, and will be look to change that this year. If Pospisil were to win this match, it would make for his first third round appearance here. That said, it will take a big effort against an on-song Raonic.

Milos Raonic vs Vasek Pospisil prediction

The two men have a played a couple of close matches in the past, and they know each other's games really well. This one will likely be a mental battle more than anything else, and that's where the last few strong months might help Raonic come out on top.

Prediction: Milos Raonic to win in four sets.