Coco Gauff will open her Cincinnati Masters campaign with a match against Mayar Sherif, who is tricky to play against.
When you're Coco Gauff, and you're playing well right now, very few players present a problem. The American was on the verge of beating Jessica Pegula last week at the WTA 1000 event in Montreal, and while her older doubles partner prevailed, it showed how well Gauff is playing. Pegula, of course, won the event a few days later.
Gauff demonstrated a newfound confidence at the Citi Open, where she won the biggest trophy of her career. It showcased her intention of being a significant factor at the US Open, and this event is the perfect chance to finetune everything in her game for the big one.
Mayar Sherif, on the other hand, is a very hard worker who might play her best tennis on clay but don't mistake her as a pushover. She'll give you problems with her attacking style and ability to play longer rallies. It's shaping up to be very exhausting for Gauff, especially as the conditions slow down a bit in the night session.
Head-to-head:
They never played so far which should make the first few games quite fun. Even so, in the age of the camera, nothing is too unfamiliar, so expect both to enter the match knowing full well what to expect from the other player.
Prediction:
Coco Gauff is naturally considered the huge favourite simply because she's the far better player. Sherif doesn't really have an excellent track record on hard courts, posting a 4-8 record this year. However, her combination of good serving and powerful play can undoubtedly give her opponent some problems.
Night doesn't play the same as day, and that will benefit Sherif; however, it will also make it challenging for her in rallies because Gauff can use her speed to be on every ball. It could get interesting if she can force the American to miss a lot. I don't see it, but it's a possibility.
Prediction: Gauff to win in straight sets.
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