Selekhmeteva vs Rakhimova Prediction 2 September 2026
π Oksana Selekhmeteva and Kamilla Rakhimova meet in the second round of the US Open for the fifth time overall - and the second time at this tournament at this stage. They are separated by a single ranking place, 92nd and 93rd, and their playing statistics are almost identical. The bookmakers, however, have opened up a notable gap between them, strongly favouring Rakhimova following her win over Barbora KrejΔΓkovΓ‘.
Head-to-Head
π The head-to-head stands at 3-2 in Selekhmeteva's favour. All three of her wins have come in the last year and a half: Antalya in March 2025 (6-3, 3-6, 6-0), Austin in February 2026 (6-2, 7-5) and Eastbourne in June (7-6, 2-6, 6-1). Both of Rakhimova's wins are older, including their second-round meeting at the 2024 US Open (6-3, 6-2). On hard courts the record is level at 2-2, though Selekhmeteva has won both of their most recent matches on that surface.
Head-to-head statistics Selekhmeteva - Rakhimova
Oksana Selekhmeteva Player Overview
Selekhmeteva arrives in the second round on a busy schedule: last week she reached the semi-finals of the Philadelphia 125 event, beating Tayla Preston and Capucine Jauffret before losing to Katie Volynets in straight sets. In the first round of the US Open she defeated Aoi Ito 6-2, 6-4. Her hard-court record this season stands at 13 wins and 10 losses; her career-high ranking of 71 was reached in March.
Her serve carries little pace: 2% aces against 9% double faults. She does, however, land her first serve at 66%, wins 45% of return points, and relies on extended rallies. That pattern shows up in her results: against opponents ranked 55th to 170th, she has won 12 or more games in 10 of 14 matches - in wins and losses alike.
Match Results: Oksana Selekhmeteva
Kamilla Rakhimova Player Overview
Rakhimova has made the brighter start to the tournament of the two - 7-6, 6-2 against Barbora KrejΔΓkovΓ‘, a two-time Grand Slam champion. Before that she played Monterrey, where she beat Loli Njanjou and lost to Maria Timofeeva, and in Cincinnati she beat Kimberly Birrell 6-2, 6-2 before losing to Maria Sakkari. Her hard-court record for the season stands at 14 wins and 15 losses.
Rakhimova lands her first serve only 57% of the time, wins 62% of points behind it, and double-faults on 7% of service points. Her return points won stands at 45% - the same as her opponent's. The more notable feature of her season lies elsewhere: in tie-breaks she has won 1 from 10. Matches that go to the wire she consistently loses - which is precisely the scenario this match-up points towards.
Match Results: Kamilla Rakhimova
Key factors
- In their three most recent head-to-head matches, Selekhmeteva won 15, 13 and 15 games.
- Against opponents at her level, she wins 12 or more games in 10 of her last 14 matches.
- Rakhimova has won 1 of 10 tie-breaks this season.
- Both players have won 45% of return points.
- Rakhimova lands her first serve in only 57% of attempts.
Expected scenario
Both players build their game the same way - through returning and extended rallies. Neither has a serve to fall back on under pressure: both hit aces on just 2% of points, with a notable share of points dropped on double faults. In matches like this, momentum tends to shift every couple of games, and the score is more likely to creep towards 5-5 than to 6-2.
Rakhimova's weak point is precisely the closing stages. Her season is full of matches where she stays level for long stretches and then loses the decisive rallies; winning one tie-break in ten is not a fluke - it is a pattern. Selekhmeteva, by contrast, has taken all three of their head-to-head meetings to a third set or a tie-break, and has come through all three times.
Match Result Prediction
The odds on the winner reflect first-round performances: a win over KrejΔΓkovΓ‘ looks more impressive than a routine 6-2, 6-4 against a player ranked outside the top 200. Over the season, though, the gap between these two players is minimal, and the head-to-head record actually favours Selekhmeteva, who the bookmakers have priced as the underdog. Backing either player to win at these odds is risky - it's safer to focus on the volume of play.
β Editor's Prediction
The case for this bet comes down to how both players construct points. Neither Selekhmeteva nor Rakhimova tends to end rallies early, so their matches almost always go through tight games and close finishes. In that kind of contest the underdog picks up her share of games regardless of the result: points are earned on return, and Selekhmeteva's return game is on a par with her opponent's.
The head-to-head record points the same way. Their last three meetings were all closely fought, and in each one Selekhmeteva took around fifteen games. Add Rakhimova's difficulties in close finishes, and a quick, bagel-style loss for Selekhmeteva becomes the least likely outcome of all.
Pick: Oksana Selekhmeteva Player Total Games - Over 11.5.
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