Cincinnati 2021: Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann preview, head-to-head & prediction | Western & Southern Open
2021 Western & Southern Open Women's Final – Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann Preview & Prediction
World number one Ash Barty beat Angelique Kerber in a second-successive semi-final after also beating the German in straight sets at last month’s Wimbledon. The 25-year-old went on to win at SW19 for er second overall Grand Slam title and fourth WTA title on tour this season which she looks locked-in to make five on Sunday against Jil Teichmann. The Swiss world number 76 has blown her competition away this week in Cincinnati, completely out of the blue in terms of her form and previous successes, to reach the biggest final of her career so far. 24-year-old Teichmann has taken out the second seed Naomi Osaka, 10th seed Belinda Bencic and most recently the fifth seed Karolina Pliskova in three of her best-ever wins on tour back-to-back-to back.
Her incredible run to the final will be a tough force for Barty to fight but the Aussie is by far and away the best player on tour this year and she has the tools required to defuse Teichmann’s momentum. This is the first meeting between the two and it should be a memorable one for Jil Teichmann even though Barty looks set to win here in straight sets.
Match detailsFixture: (1) Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann
Date: 22 August 2021
Tournament: Western & Southern Open
Round: Final
Venue: Cincinnati, United States
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $1,835,490
Match timing: 2 pm local time, 6 pm GMT, 11.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann previewAshleigh Barty will take on the unseeded Jil Teichmann in the final of the 2021 Western and Southern Open on Sunday. While Barty was tested in her 6-2, 7-5 victory over Angelique Kerber in the semifinals, Teichmann caused a 6-2, 6-4 upset of fifth seed Karolina Pliskova.
Barty has been in red-hot form all year, to say the least. She has a tour-leading 39 wins in 2021, against just seven losses.
The Aussie started the season with a title at the Yarra Valley Classic before going on to lift trophies at Miami, Stuttgart and Wimbledon. Barty also made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games last month, but lost her opener to Sara Sorribes Tormo. Nevertheless, her partnership with John Peers won her the bronze medal in the mixed doubles category.
This week in Cincinnati, the World No. 1 hasn't dropped a single set through four matches. She will be bidding for her fifth title of the year when she takes the court on Sunday.
Jil Teichmann at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ChampionshipsJil Teichmann at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ChampionshipsHer opponent for the final, Jil Teichmann, had a terrific first half of the 2021 season too. She reached the quarterfinals of the Phillip Island Trophy before going a step further in Adelaide. Then in Dubai, the Swiss beat the likes of Petra Kvitova, Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff to make the last four.
Teichmann's form and fitness, however, took a hit over the next few months. She failed to produce any deep runs in her subsequent tournaments and was even struck by a thigh injury in Palermo.
Nevertheless, the World No. 76 is having the week of her career in Cincinnati. She has beaten three seeds on the trot, - Naomi Osaka, Belinda Bencic and Karolina Pliskova - en route to her maiden WTA1000 final.
Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann head-to-headAshleigh Barty and Jil Teichmann have never played each other before, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Ashleigh Barty vs Jil Teichmann predictionAshleigh Barty has faced a variety of players this year and has mostly found a way to break down their games with her serve and slice. But she has never faced the tricky Jil Teichmann, whose lefty angles, touch and power present a unique challenge.
Ashleigh Barty at the Tokyo OlympicsAshleigh Barty at the Tokyo OlympicsBoth women hit fast-paced shots, but Teichmann's heavier groundstrokes allow her to strike a large number of winners. Teichmann's lefty serve can get a lot of free points too, but she needs to be wary of conceding too many double faults.
Barty would need to showcase her characteristic playing style and move Teichmann around with her slices. If she manages to do that and also serve well, she should be favored to get a 13th career title under her belt on Sunday.