Venus Williams vs Dayana Yastremska: Cincinnati Open Preview and Prediction

It is a clash of generations as 40-year-old Venus Williams takes on 20-year-old Dayana Yastremska in a mouthwatering clash at the Cincinnati Open tonight. 

Having been on the tour for more than two decades, Venus has been off-colour this season. With three opening match losses in the Australian Open, Acapulco Open and the Monterrey Open, the veteran did not have a great start to 2020. 

She played one of her best matches dismantling Victoria Azarenka in straight sets at the Lexington Open. The seven-time grand slam champion later lost to her sister, Serena Williams in a tight three-setter. 

On the other hand, Yastremka's best performance of the season was in the Qatar Open where she lost in the pre-quarterfinals to Garbine Muguruza. The Ukrainian took part in the season-resuming Palermo Open and reached the quarterfinals bowing to Camila Giorgi in three sets. 

Strengths of Venus 

Staying true to her longevity, Venus uses her aggressive game to control her opponents. Armed with powerful groundstrokes and a booming first-serve, the American can be on a roll if things work out to her favour. 

Her second-serve has been off the mark in recent times. Despite not possessing a fast court coverage, the veteran has kept up the pressure through her effective baseline game. 

Strengths of Yastremska

Her top-spin heavy game has paid her rich dividends. Yastremska loves to take the attack to her opponents. She prefers fighting till the end and has won a lot of three-setters in her career. 

Inconsistency is a big drawback to her game. The Ukrainian commits a lot of unforced errors owing to her high-risk playing style. She needs to control her emotions in critical moments. 

Head to Head record

Both the players have never met each other on the tour so far. While Venus would be relying on her serve to come good, Yastremska would depend on her ferocious striking to sail through.

Prediction - Venus Williams to win in three sets

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