Cincinnati 2020: Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka preview, head-to-head & prediction | Western & Southern Open

Match details

Fixture: Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka

Date: 29 August 2020

Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2020

Round: Final

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: WTA Premier 5

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $1,950,079

Match timing: 11 am EDT, 8.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN

Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka preview

The wait for a first Premier 5 Final is over for Naomi Osaka. She has booked a berth in the final of the Western & Southern Open in New York, with a 6-2 7-6 win in the semifinals over Belgian Elise Mertens.

For a chance to lift the trophy on Saturday, Osaka will face Belarusian comeback queen Victoria Azarenka - who has had a dream resurgence this week.

The Japanese has had her fair share of struggles this week, having to dig deep twice - against both Karolina Muchova and Anett Kontaveit. In the Mertens match too, Osaka put in a performance that wasn't quite as smooth as she would've liked.

Measured at times and authoritative when the situation demanded, the two-time Grand Slam champion saved as many as 18 break points but got broken only thrice. Osaka showed the resilience she has come to be known for, saving eight break points at 4-4 in the second set before eventually winning it in a tiebreak.

Victoria Azarenka, on the other hand, has looked in scrumptious form all week. She hadn't dropped a single set until her semifinal match against Johanna Konta, where she overturned a set's deficit before winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Victoria Azarenka is back at her best

The Belarusian former World No. 1 has been the story of the week. Struggling with injuries and personal issues for over six years now, Azarenka has reached her first Premier 5 final since 2013 - and that too after looking down and out in a dismal showing at Lexington just two weeks ago.

Incidentally, Azarenka's last Premier 5 final had also come in Cincinnati, where she defeated Serena Williams in a match for the ages.

The double Australian Open champion will be eager to show that she is far from finished, and that she can win big titles even at 31. Should Azarenka win, it will be her first title since the Miami Open in 2016.

Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka head-to-head

Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka have met thrice before

Going into the final, the head-to-head between Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka stands at 2-1 in favor of the Japanese.

Their last meeting was the most memorable one of the rivalry so far. Playing in the second round of Roland Garros 2019, Osaka dropped the first set against Azarenka before bouncing back in spectacular fashion to seal the match in three.

Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka prediction

Victoria Azarenka is looking for her first title since Miami 2016

Despite the difference in their current rankings, the gap in their level is pretty close. In fact, Victoria Azarenka comes into the match in much better form despite dropping her first set of the week in the semifinal.

Naomi Osaka is quite short on match practice, having not played at all this year after the Australian Open. And that has shown in all but one of her performances this week.

If Osaka has a repeat of her dismal serving performance from the semifinals in the final against Azarenka, she is unlikely to escape with just three breaks.

The Belarusian's return of serve has been as good this week as it has ever been, and she will make Osaka pay for any loose service games. Azarenka has already proven she's still got the ability to hang with the best players in the world, and will give it her all to seal a return to the top echelon with a trophy.

Naomi Osaka will need to produce her very best tennis if she is to enter the US Open on Monday on the back of a Premier 5 title.

Prediction: Victoria Azarenka to win in three sets.