With tournaments coming thick and fast, there is hardly any breathing space for tennis stars. However, the US Open is just days away and the players can’t afford to breathe easy, can they? Top tennis stars have descended to Cincinnati where some enthralling action is underway. Among them is the former US Open champion, Bianca Andreescu. Although not in her best run of form, the Canadian star has the capability to defeat any player on her day.

Facing Andreescu will be the Russian-born sensation, Elina Avanesyan, who is representing Armenia. She has made massive strides on the ITF Tour, with five singles titles to her credit. As a result, the clash between Andreescu and Avanesyan promises to be an exciting one for the fans.

Bianca Andreescu vs Elina Avanesyan: Preview

Andreescu’s stocks have fallen massively ever since her US Open victory in 2019. Bad form coupled with injuries has resulted in her failing to reach the quarterfinal of a major event after her maiden Grand Slam win. Further, she had to miss the earlier half of the 2024 season owing to a back injury, that kept her out for more than 9 months. While she reached the summit clash of s-Hertogenbosch, Andreescu had early exits at the Bad Homburg Open and the Wimbledon Championships. Additionally, she lost in the first round of the Canadian Open, her home tournament. As a result, she would have to get back to her groove quickly to dig deep in Cincinnati.

On the other hand, Andreescu’s opponent, Avanesyan, is in a rich vein of form. Before the Cincinnati Open, she reached the summit clash of the Iasi Open, losing against Mirra Andreeva in the final. Further, she has had a consistent run of form lately and is set to provide a stern challenge to Andreescu. Although Avanesyan is yet to win a title this year, expect her to pull off some upset victories over the coming days.

Andreescu vs. Avanesyan: Head-to-head

While Andreescu has been playing on the WTA Tour over the recent years, Avanesyan is spending much of her time on the ITF Tour, slowly rising the ranks. As a result, the two are yet to face off against each other on the WTA Tour and the Cincinnati first-round contest will be the maiden encounter between them. Uncertainty and momentum shifts might become a common factor in their clash today as it will be their first meeting against each other.

Prediction: Avanesyan to add more misery to Andreescu’s campaign

With her season ravaged by injuries, Andreescu received a wildcard entry into the main draw of the Cincinnati Open. While fans would expect her to progress against Avanesyan, her recent stats speak otherwise. The Canadian star has dropped out of the top 150 on the WTA rankings. On the other hand, her opponent is on the brink of the top 50 after achieving the best rank of 58 in the world.

Furthermore, Andreescu has struggled big time with her service games recently. During her first-round loss against Lesia Tsurenko at the Canadian Open, she handed as many as 9 break point opportunities to her opponent. Avanesyan will look to take full advantage of this and is predicted to upset Andreescu in three sets. The match is scheduled to take place on the Center Court later today.