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Match details
Fixture: Jennifer Brady vs Veronika Kudermetova
Date: 23 October 2020
Tournament: J & T Banka Ostrava Open 2020
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Ostrava, Czech Republic
Category: WTA Premier
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: $528,500
Match timing: Not before 6 pm CEST, 9.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel
Jennifer Brady vs Veronika Kudermetova preview
World No. 26 Jennifer Brady takes on Veronika Kudermetova in the quarterfinal of the J&T Banka Ostrava Open on Friday.
Brady came into the tournament as one of the form players on hardcourts this year, having enjoyed a major upswing since the COVID-19 pandemic. The American restarted her season with the first WTA title of her career in Lexington, defeating the likes of Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens. She then went on to reach the US Open semifinal, where she was narrowly edged out by eventual champion Naomi Osaka.
Although Brady didn't enjoy the best of times on clay, crashing out of Roland Garros in the first round, in Ostrava she has picked up right where she left off on hardcourt. The American has defeated a couple of quality opponents in Dayana Yastremska and Daria Kasatkina to reach the quarterfinal.
Veronika Kudermetova meanwhile has blown hot and cold this season, with a W/L record of 13-13. However, the Russian comes into Friday's quarterfinal on the back of a high-profile 4-6 6-4 6-3 win against second seed Karolina Pliskova.
Jennifer Brady vs Veronika Kudermetova head-to-head
The quarterfinal matchup in Ostrava is the second meeting between the two players on tour. And Jennifer Brady currently leads the head-to-head 1-0 over Veronika Kudermetova.
Brady prevailed in straight sets against the Russian in the first round of the 2019 Madrid Open, winning two tiebreakers.
Jennifer Brady vs Veronika Kudermetova prediction
Both on form and on paper, Jennifer Brady comes into the match as the overwhelming favorite. And the hard-hitting American has the game to back that up.
But while Veronika Kudermetova might be the underdog, she has been striking the ball well all tournament. She will especially draw confidence from her win against Pliskova, the home favorite and one of the world's highest ranked players.
Kudermetova will look to use her solid baseline game and take the ball early, depriving Brady of time to set up her shots. But the American's all-court style of play makes her particularly dangerous on quick surfaces, as she showed in New York.
Her big serve and power-packed groundstrokes would give her control of a majority of the rallies. If Brady is at her best, she should get past Kudermetova relatively unfazed.
Prediction: Jennifer Brady to win in straight sets.
