Mirra Andreeva and Nikola Bartunkova meet in the women's US Open Round of 32 on Saturday, September 5 at 16:30 UTC. Andreeva is the clear favourite; the more useful question concerns her winning margin.
Andreeva has conserved what Bartunkova has spent
Andreeva beat No.36 Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2, then dismissed No.98 Eva Lys 6-0, 6-2 in 63 minutes. Her backhand has changed direction cleanly, while slices and net approaches have given her little trouble.
Bartunkova needed three sets and 2 hours 10 minutes to overcome No.83 Tatjana Maria. She attacked the net repeatedly and recovered well after losing the opening tiebreak, but admitted the match had left her extremely tired after an already demanding run in Monterrey.
The second serve is where the margin can grow
Bartunkova can keep a set close by taking returns early and landing the first forehand. Yet her second serve has weakened under sustained pressure, and Andreeva is well placed to return deep through the middle before controlling the next ball.
The handicap does not require a spotless straight-sets win. Even if Bartunkova steals a tight set, her accumulated workload makes clustered breaks increasingly plausible, while Andreeva has spent barely two hours on court across two rounds.
Prediction: Mirra Andreeva −4.5 games, odds 1.77
