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Match details
Fixture: (16) Barbora Krejcikova vs Dayana Yastremska
Date: March 10, 2023
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Indian Wells, California, USA
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $8,800,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel/TC Plus | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Barbora Krejcikova vs Dayana Yastremska preview
Former French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova squares off against Ukrainian wildcard Dayana Yastremska in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday.
Krejcikova, who held the No. 2 ranking in 2022, has had a pretty decent year so far with a title under her belt and a 11-4 win-loss record to show for the season.
She brushed off a second-round exit at the Adelaide International 2 to make it to the Round of 16 at the Australian Open, where she was knocked out by Jessica Pegula.
Krejcikova's Middle Eastern swing didn't begin on a memorable note as she succumbed to defeats in the second round and first round in Abu Dhabi and Doha, respectively. But the 27-year-old made a spectacular turnaround in the season's first WTA 1000 event in Dubai thereafter.
Krejcikova beat the world's top three players, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, to win her sixth career singles title in an amazing show of grit and resilience all week.
The World No. 16 will now be eager to carry the momentum into the Californian desert.
Former World No. 21 Dayana Yastremska, meanwhile, has a 7-7 win-loss record for the season. The Ukrainian began the 2023 season with a three-match losing streak, which she snapped with a first-round win at the Thailand Open.
The 22-year-old then qualified for the Abu Dhabi Open but lost her main-draw opener against Jil Teichmann. At the Qatar Open, she couldn't even get past the qualifying rounds.
Yastremska put up her best performance of the season in Dubai. She won three matches, starting from the qualifiers before bowing out in the second round of the main draw.
The World No. 142 arrived in Indian Wells after yet another early defeat in Austin. In her first match at the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday, however, Yastremska faced no difficulties in swatting aside Anna Bondar 6-3, 6-4.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Dayana Yastremska head-to-head
Krejcikova and Yastremska are tied at 1-1 in their head-to-head. The Czech won their first-ever meeting in straight sets at Cincinnati in 2021. Yastremska turned the tables on her more fancied opponent in Dubai last year.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Dayana Yastremska odds
(Odds sourced from oddschecker.com)
Barbora Krejcikova vs Dayana Yastremska prediction
Krejcikova has the edge over Yastremska in terms of experience, ranking as well as current form. Given how she blazed through the Dubai draw, the Czech is one of the favorites to win the Indian Wells title as well.
Suffice to say, Yastremska has an uphill task on her hands if she wants to get the better of the in-form Krejcikova.
The Ukrainian's tendency to go for broke on every shot doesn't bode well against a patient ball-striker like Krejcikova. The Czech has exceptional movement and likes to smartly construct her points before going for winners. Thanks to an excellent career in doubles, she also has great hands at the net.
The World No. 16 has all the variety needed to put her young opponent in a spot of bother. While Yastremska does indeed have explosive power, her inability to rein in her aggression often leads to a high number of unforced errors. A repeat of that could prove to be costly for the 22-year-old.
Pick: Krejcikova to win in straight sets.
