One of the most attractive second round matchups at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia takes place on Wednesday when Amanda Anisimova faces Dayana Yastremska.
Both players suffered early exits at the US Open with Anisimova losing in the third round while Yastremska was defeated in the second round.
Each woman came through tough first round matches here with the American knocking out 16th seed Donna Vekic in two tiebreakers while Yastremska held off Camila Giorgi in three tight sets to set up this first career meeting.
Analysis
This will be one of the hardest-hitting matches all week as both players have explosive power. Each will look to dominate from the baseline and get on top of the rallies early. Anisimova is probably more adept at playing longer rallies, so those points will likely favor her.
The serve is also going to play a crucial role as both players have powerful deliveries and can win many free points with it. Anisimova is a little more consistent with her serve while Yastremska has been struggling with it of late.
The one area where the Ukrainian does have an advantage is her forehand as she possesses incredible ability to generate winners with that all over the court, especially on the run. She'll want to keep away from Anisimova's backhand, which is world-class even at this stage of her career.
The American is also probably a little more comfortable on clay having reached the Roland Garros semifinals last year. Yastremska has won a title on clay, but is more comfortable on grass or hard courts. With Sascha Bajin having left as coach, the Ukrainian will also need time to adjust her strategy based on whoever is temporarily filling in.
Assessment
This is a matchup we will be seeing many times in the future. Both players seemed destined to win majors and have brilliant futures ahead of them, but at this point Anisimova seems to be better on clay and more consistent with her serve. Therefore, it's likely she'll win this matchup and advance.
Prediction: Amanda Anisimova in straight sets