The world’s third-ranked player is set to face off against the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020 in the fourth round of a major tennis tournament in California. This encounter marks a rematch of their recent meeting at the same stage of the year’s first Grand Slam, with both athletes seeking a place in the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 event.
The higher-ranked player secured her spot in the round of 16 with a straight-sets victory over an opponent who had eliminated her in the semi-finals of this tournament the previous year. Meanwhile, the wildcard entrant has impressed with strong performances, defeating two young seeded players on her way to this stage.
Their head-to-head record slightly favors the higher-ranked player, who has claimed two wins in their previous three matchups. Their most recent battle took place in the round of 16 at the year’s opening Grand Slam, where the higher-ranked competitor came from a set down to secure a three-set victory. Their latest meeting at this event will be the second time they have clashed in just over two months.
The wildcard entrant’s only triumph in their rivalry came in a tournament held in Australia a few years ago when she was the second seed. Their lone seeded matchup against each other took place in Washington DC, where the home favorite dominated, dropping just three games in a straight-sets win.