US Open: Naomi Osaka vs. Leylah Fernandez 9/3/21 Tennis Prediction

Third seed Naomi Osaka of Japan will face Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the Third Round of the 2021 US Open. The match is scheduled to be played on Friday September 3rd, 2021 at 7:00pm EST.

Naomi Osaka is one of the favorites for the title here in New York and despite having a difficult season has started well so far. The Japanese superstar is the defending champion and has always done well here at the US Open, and will be very confident in her abilities to do well here. Next up she will face the talented Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez who has also looked sharp so far. Can Fernandez stun the world number three and advance to the Round of 16 for the first time here at the 2021 US Open?

Naomi Osaka is the third seed here at the 2021 US Open and is currently ranked number three on the WTA Tour. The defending champion has had a poor season so far by her very high standards and will be hoping to have a strong performance here to get back on track. She has had numerous off court distractions this season which seem to be affecting her on court play so hopefully she is able to block that out and get back on track here. After a dominant win in the First Round she received a walkover in the Second, and will definitely be well rested. Osaka is still not 100% and has not played much tennis lately so while she is the big favorite here against Leylah Fernandez, she may start off slowly.

Leylah Fernandez is unseeded here at the 2021 US Open and is currently ranked #73 on the WTA Tour. The 18 year old Canadian star in the making has been in great form so far here in New York, defeating Ana Konjuh and Kaia Kanepi in straight sets. The talented lefty uses angles well and is a very aggressive player who is also comfortable at the net. She has had some big ones before but this is a whole new level for her, facing the defending champion at a Grand Slam so nerves will almost certainly be an issue. Her opponent Naomi Osaka is one of the best players in the world and Fernandez will have to play the best match of her short career if this is to be competitive.

This is the first meeting between the two players and I see it being an entertaining match, but it is not likely to be a very competitive one. Leylah Fernandez is very talented and is one for the future, but she does not quite have the firepower that is needed to compete with Naomi Osaka at this stage in her career. The Japanese star is simply too powerful and is likely to dominate the young Canadian. I expect a very exciting match with a lot of high quality tennis from both players, but ultimately Osaka will win the points that matter the most and come away with a comprehensive straight sets win.