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Match details
Fixture: Sloane Stephens vs Dayana Yastremska
Tournament: National Bank Open 2021
Round: First round (Round of 64)
Venue: IGA Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hard
Prize money: $1,835,490
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Sloane Stephens vs Dayana Yastremska preview
American wildcard Sloane Stephens will face off against the wildly inconsistent Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska in the first round of the 2021 National Bank Open in Montreal.
Stephens, a former finalist in Montreal, has fared dismally on hardcourts this season, winning just two matches in five tournament appearances.
The former World No. 3 lost a nip-and-tuck contest to compatriot Danielle Collins in the second round of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic last week, falling to 14-12 for the season.
Yastremska, meanwhile, was recently given the all-clear by an independent tribunal who determined that her positive test for a banned substance was the result of contamination.
The 21-year-old missed the first six months of the season while serving a doping suspension, but made her much-anticipated comeback at the Hamburg Open, where she reached the semifinals.
But Yastremska hasn't been able to maintain her standing on hardcourts. She lost in the first round of the Olympic Games to Canada's Leylah Fernandez and was recently knocked out in San Jose by World No. 108 Claire Liu of the USA.
Sloane Stephens vs Dayana Yastremska head-to-head
Sloane Stephens and Dayana Yastremska have never faced each other at any level before, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Sloane Stephens and Dayana Yastremska prediction
Sloane Stephens' game clicked into gear in San Jose, but she had the misfortune of running into a red-hot Danielle Collins in the Round of 16. Still, the former US Open champion should be in buoyant mood heading into her opener in Montreal.
Yastremska is quite a maverick on the tennis court. She has the ability to take the ball very early and rob her opponents of time. She also goes for broke on almost every shot, which can make her a dangerous opponent on her day.
But considering the Ukrainian only recently returned to action after missing a huge chunk of the season, she is unlikely to trouble Stephens too much. The American enjoys playing against hard-hitters, as she can redirect their pace extremely well.
Stephens is an excellent mover around the court and as long as she maintains a decent level against Yastremska, she should come away with the win.
Prediction: Sloane Stephens to win in straight sets
