One semi-final to preview from Cincinnati today, and it's an interesting one, at least on the surface. Can Bejlek make this competitive, or does Gauff cruise through to the final?
WTA Cincinnati Open Predictions
Sara Bejlek vs Cori Gauff
Head-to-head: First meeting
Gauff is the heavy favorite here and rightfully so. The rank difference tells most of the story and Gauff has been one of the best hard-court players on the women's tour for a couple of years now, with the kind of baseline game that makes life very difficult for players who haven't faced that level before. Bejlek has had a solid run to get here, and you have to respect that, but she's never played Gauff and this is a big step up in class.
That said, I think Bejlek will make this tougher than expected. She's a gutsy competitor and first-time opponents can sometimes steal a set just by playing loose with nothing to lose. Gauff pulls it out, should still find a way to get through here, but not without some resistance along the way.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
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Credit Image: © Rob Prange/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire