We're taking a gander at an alluring match between Naomi Osaka and Yulia Putintseva. Now, let's break this down like a lecturing professor - there's always grey hair before wisdom, isn't there?
Putintseva, tagged as the 21st seed, has been, shall I put it, playing as wildly inconsistent as a confused chameleon. She's won against Wang Xin and Nosková L., but then deceiving our expectations, she takes losses to Anisimova A., Paolini J., and Badosa P. all in straight sets.
Arguably, this isn't her best form. But then again, that's like saying a bear doesn't do its business in the woods.
On the opposite court, we've got Osaka. She's unseeded, but don't let that fool you, much like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Recent outings show she's a victor against Bronzetti L., Ostapenko J., and Blinková A. But, alas, nobody bats a thousand -- she's taken knocks by Muchová K. and a 3-set fall to Krueger A. About as reliable as a waterproof teabag, wouldn't you say?
However, if we drown out the noise and distill this to pure match-up, Osaka and Putintseva are like chalk and cheese. And in this scenario, let's say money talks and Osaka walks, even if it's not a walk in the park. She might not be seeded, but we all know that some of the best fruit come from wild trees.
Albert's Prediction: Osaka in 3 sets.