Elena Rybakina and Jennifer Brady will meet at the 2023 Canadian Open in Montreal on August 8th, 2023.
Jennifer Brady is back to playing tennis, but her Canadian Open Montreal draw is a very brutal one that isn't getting any easier. Her first-round match against Jelena Ostapenko saw her face as one of the strongest and purest hitters in the sport.
Dodging those projectiles took some leg work, but she managed to get it done winning a very long and close match to set up this one against Rybakina. She is a different opponent but the theme remains as she'll see plenty of projectiles hurled at her from the Kazakhstani player as well.
It's okay though, as Brady doesn't mind and is quite happy to be back on a tennis court and competing after the tough recovery. It's been a very long time and while she's clearly rusty, the skill that she has does shine through, even if the sky is rather cloudy in Montreal.
Brady and Rybakina never played against each other, which is a shame because it's a beautiful matchup on paper. Rybakina rarely gives way to another player in terms of aggression in a really, but Brady is very capable of staying competitive against most players. There will be power coming from both sides of the court.
This match will be very competitive and there are a few reasons for that. Yes, Rybakina is heavily favoured on paper, but she hasn't played since Wimbledon and those first matches on a new surface, even if it's your best, tend to be shaky.
Brady has the advantage of having played recently, but her fitness might suffer a bit after a very long and brutal match. The serve could be the decisive factor for Rybakina, that is if she can hit it at a high clip. If she does, she'll win.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in three sets.