Coco Gauff is eager to rebound from a disappointing Olympic debut as she shifts her focus to the US Open. While transitioning from clay to hard courts in such a short timeframe presents a challenge, it’s a hurdle she must overcome. The defending US Open champion has kicked off her hard court season with a victory in Toronto and now faces another promising young talent, Diana Shnaider, in the round of 16. Let’s analyze the odds of the upcoming matchup!

Coco Gauff vs Diana Shnaider: Preview

Gauff started her season pretty well this year by winning the title at the ASB Classic and then reaching the SF of the 2024 AO. Apart from these, she has also reached four SFs and two QFs this season. The young gun from Atlanta has come closer to clinching titles several times this year but has failed to deliver in the ultimate stages. Will the Canadian Open be an exception?

Well, she started her campaign pretty well against China’s Yafan Wang in the R32 on Thursday. Gauff defeated her by 6-4,6-4, however, she wasn’t at her best in that match. Fans are now expecting a better performance from the American against Shnaider.

Whereas Shnaider has already clinched four titles this season and apart from that she has also reached one final and one QF in her previous tournaments. The Russian tennis star will enter this match after clinching a couple of three-set victories in her previous rounds. She defeated the British tennis star, Harriet Dart in the R64 by 6-3,3-6,7-6(2). Then again, in the R32 she clinched victory in yet another three-set thriller against Poland’s Magdalena Frech. 

Gauff vs Shnaider: Head-to-Head

Both Gauff and Shnaider are two of the brightest prospects in women’s tennis at the moment. One has already proven herself on the bigger stages and now, it’s time for the other to step up. However, they have never played against each other before in their careers so far. What can we expect from the clash of two 20-year-old rising stars in the tennis world?

Prediction: Gauff to win in straight sets

Gauff reached the QF of this tournament last year but lost to her compatriot Jessica Pegula. This year she has got off to a decent start and now it’ll be interesting to see if she can carry forward this winning momentum for the rest of this tournament. Gauff has a win-loss record of 38-12 this season, whereas Shnaider has recorded just 26-13 as of now. Even in the rankings, Gauff (2) is way ahead of Shnaider (24). 

If we take a glimpse at their playing style, Gauff describes her game style to be aggressive, but we often see her engaging in more of a defensive style of play during her matches. Her big serve, along with her lethal backhand, is something that Shnaider needs to be a bit careful of in this match. However, if we talk about Gauff’s biggest strength, then it’d surely be her incredible athleticism along with swift movements on the court. She can also mix up her shots pretty well and also has the ability to win longer rallies.

Gauff’s mental toughness is what separates her from other players! However, do you know that even Shnaider likes to play a fearless brand of tennis? This is exactly what makes this matchup more interesting. Be ready for some fireworks! Shnaider’s biggest strength is her swashbuckling left-handed forehand and her incredible serving abilities. She loves to play an attacking style of play and guess what is her favorite movie?

It’s ‘Never Back Down‘. Her fans will expect her to take a similar approach in this game, but we don’t think she has a chance to cause a major upset at the moment. Gauff has more weapons in her bag to win this battle in straight sets!