(Reuters) – A look at the records of Germany’s Angelique Kerber and her compatriot Anna-Lena Friedsam before their second-round match at the U.S. Open on Wednesday:
ANGELIQUE KERBER
Age: 32
WTA Ranking: 23 (Highest ranking: 1)
Seeding: 17
Grand Slam titles: 3 (Australian Open 2016; Wimbledon 2018; U.S. Open 2016)
WTA career titles: 12
2019 U.S. Open performance: First round
Best U.S. Open performance: Winner (2016)
Kerber is competing in her first tournament since January and the three-times major champion looked rusty in her first round victory over Ajla Tomljanovic.
The 32-year-old, who recently rehired compatriot Torben Beltz as her coach to replace Dieter Kindlmann, is looking to win her first title since 2018.
She has won her last 16 matches against fellow Germans stretching back to February 2013 and will be the overwhelming favourite to improve on her 2-0 record over Friedsam.
ANNA-LENA FRIEDSAM
Age: 26
WTA Ranking: 109 (Highest ranking: 45)
Seeding: Unseeded
Grand Slam titles: 0
WTA career titles: 0
2019 U.S. Open performance: Did not play
Best U.S. Open performance: Second round (2020)
Friedsam lost to Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the final of the Lyon Open in March before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has not been able to rediscover her best form since action resumed.
The 26-year-old, who is yet to take a set off Kerber in their two previous meetings, has been ravaged by shoulder issues since 2017 but has finally put her injury woes behind her this year as she chases a maiden singles title.
HEAD TO HEAD: Kerber leads Friedsam 2-0
2018 Kerber d Friedsam 6-0 6-4 (Australian Open, hard)
2014 Kerber d Friedsam 6-2 7-6(0) (Nuremberg, clay)
(Compiled by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
