Cincinnati Open 2021 Finals: Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann: Preview and Prediction

World number 1 Ashleigh Barty faces the 76th-ranked Jil Teichmann in the finals of the Cincinnati Open 2021. This is their first-ever meeting on the WTA Tour.

Cincinnati Open Final: Key Insights

• Barty is featuring in her 6th final this season (4-1 win-loss record).
• Teichmann is playing her maiden WTA 1000 final of her career.
• Ashleigh Barty has won the most matches (39) on the WTA Tour.
• Jil Teichmann has a staggering 4-0 win-loss record against top-10 ranked players in 2021.
• Barty is featuring in her 19th singles final and 9th at the Masters level.
• Teichmann will aim to win her 3rd singles title in her 4th final.
• Barty is yet to drop a set in the Cincinnati Masters 2021.
• Ashleigh Barty is the No.1 ranked player for the last 82 weeks.

How Barty dispatched Angelique Kerber in straight sets?

It was an intriguing 3-3 H2H record between Ashleigh Barty and Kerber before their semifinal. However, the Australian took a strong 6-2 lead with clever backhand slices and passing shots. Angelique Kerber found her range in the second set and began hitting the right spots with her supreme angles.  

The German’s lack of a big serve and a poor second-serve winning percentage of 27.3% affected her in the dying stages of the match. Top seed Barty fired 7 aces and grabbed 77.3% of her first-serve points to win the second set 7-5. 

Overall, Ash was truly on fire with 12 aces, 29 winners, a breakpoint conversion rate of 62.5% and a second-serve winning percentage of 75. The World number 1 reached her first Western and Southern Open final. 

How did Jil Teichmann overpower Karolina Pliskova in 82 minutes?

Teichmann continued her giant-killing run in the Cincinnati Masters. The Swiss youngster routed the 5th seed Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-4 in her semifinal. The Czech won the WTA 1000 tournament at Ohio in 2016 and also reached the Wimbledon finals last month.

The southpaw had caused a storm in the draw after defeating 2nd seed Naomi Osaka in 3 sets and the 10th seed Belinda Bencic in the pre-quarterfinals and the quarterfinals respectively.

Jil Teichmann used her big serve to trouble the higher-ranked Pliskova. The 24-year-old pounded 8 aces and saved 5 out of 7 breakpoints. Both players went neck-to-neck in their first serve, with the Swiss winning more points of 69.8% than Karolina’s 69.4%.

Wrapping Up

Ashleigh Barty will look to consolidate her top-ranked player ahead of the big final. The Australian is a relentless returner of the ball and is a tough nut-to-crack with her exquisite shotmaking.

On the other hand, Jil Teichmann is on a roll and her fearless tennis has boosted her confidence to another level. Playing on a wildcard, the Swiss has taken out two top-5 ranked players, Naomi Osaka and Karolina Pliskova. 

The 24-year-old Teichmann has controlled the rallies with her powerful groundstrokes. She will strive to teach Barty a lesson in the hot conditions in Ohio.

"To me, it is perfect, looking forward to the final, I am going to be the underdog, playing Center Court against World No.1 in a final, it is perfect, it is a really nice challenge, and I will go for it,” said Teichmann, vowing to give her best against Barty ahead of the challenging clash at the Cincinnati Open Final. 

Barty has a slight edge against Jil Teichmann in tonight's Cincinnati Open finals because of her experience at the highest level. The Australian has every shot in her arsenal to get out of tricky situations. “More winners and less unforced errors” has been the mantra of the top seed’s success in 2021.

Expect the World number 1 to use her jaw-dropping mix of crosscourt forehands and dropshots and defeat the fast-rising Swiss star in the final.

Prediction - Ashleigh Barty to win in 3 sets against Jil Teichmann and win the Cincinnati Open.

Featured Image Credits - WTA - Twitter