The third round gets underway on Friday with two very intriguing matches at the 2021 United States Open. Angelique Kerber of Germany, the 16th seed, faces Sloane Stephens of the United States. Meanwhile, the ninth seed, Garbine Muguruza of Spain, faces the 18th seed, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Kerber is a three-time Grand Slam champion. She has previously won the 2016 Australian Open and 2016 United States Open, as well as Wimbledon in 2018. Kerber’s 2016 U.S. Open title five years ago came when she beat Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the final, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Stephens won the 2017 United States Open 6-3, 6-0, over fellow American Madison Keys. Interestingly, Stephens beat Keys 6-3, 1-6, 7-6, in the first round at the 2021 U.S. Open on Monday.
Head-to-head Stephens has the 5-1 advantage, but this is the first time they have faced each other at a major. Four of the six meetings have come at North American Masters events, with two at Indian Wells, and one each in Canada and Miami. Despite winning the U.S. Open in the past, Stephens is only ranked 66th in the world. That should improve the deeper she goes in the final major of the year.
Muguruza won the French Open in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017. Azarenka won back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2012 and 2013. Head-to-head, Muguruza, and Azarenka have won two matches each. However, that does not include Azarenka’s withdrawal against Muguruza in the semifinals of Doha in 2021. Azarenka beat Muguruza in the round of 16 in Miami in 2016, and the round of 16 in Rome in 2019. Muguruza beat Azarenka in the final of Monterrey, Mexico in 2019 by a score of 6-1, 3-1, and the quarterfinal of Rome in 2020.
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