Maria Sakkari faces Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round of the US Open, with both players looking to advance following contrasting opening-round performances at Flushing Meadows. Sakkari, ranked 35th in the world, enters the match after a three-set battle against America’s Whitney Montgomery, according to tournament records. Meanwhile, Starodubtseva secured a straight-sets victory over Zaindль in her opening match.
Maria Sakkari and Yuliia Starodubtseva Meet in US Open Second Round
The upcoming fixture marks the first career meeting between the two competitors on the WTA Tour. Sakkari holds a 15-9 match record on hard courts for the season, bolstered by a semifinal run in Doha and a final appearance in Athens, according to data from stavka.tv.
Sakkari Seeks Consistency After Opening Battle
Sakkari dropped the opening set of her tournament opener against Montgomery before rallying to win 2:6, 7:5, 6:2. According to stavka.tv, the Greek player surrendered her serve five times during the match but utilized her experience and court coverage to turn the momentum in key moments.
Sakkari has historically found success on the hard courts of New York, reaching the tournament semifinals in 2021.
Starodubtseva Brings Steady Hard-Court Form
Yuliia Starodubtseva enters the second round as the world number 58, holding a 14-13 hard-court record for the season. The 26-year-old Ukrainian advanced past Germany’s Zaindль 6:2, 6:2 in the first round, winning over 70% of points on both her first and second serves while breaking her opponent four times, as detailed by stavka.tv.
Prior to the US Open, Starodubtseva reached the quarterfinals at the Monterrey tournament.
Match Outlook and Betting Context
According to projections published by stavka.tv, Sakkari is favored to win with a games handicap (-2.5), though analysts expect Starodubtseva to pressure the Greek player during extended baseline rallies.