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Match details
Fixture: Petra Kvitova vs Jelena Ostapenko.
Tournament: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2022.
Round: Quarterfinals.
Venue: Dubai, UAE.
Category: WTA 500.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Match timing: 2 pm local time, 10 am GMT, 5 am ET, 3.30 pm IST.
Prize money: $703,580.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Petra Kvitova vs Jelena Ostapenko preview
Petra Kvitova will take on Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals in Dubai on Thursday in a battle between former Grand Slam champions.
Kvitova has struggled for consistency so far this season. The two-time Wimbledon champion entered the Dubai Tennis Championships this week with a 2-4 win-loss record for the year.
However, returning to the tournament where she lifted the title in 2013 has worked wonders for the Czech. The southpaw began her campaign with a 6-2, 6-0 drubbing of Camila Giorgi before dismantling top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first quarterfinal of the season.
Kvitova will hope to keep her run going against the 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Having made the final four in St. Petersburg last week, the Latvian has managed to carry her good form into Dubai.
She demolished 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-1, 6-2 and followed it up with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) win over former French Open winner Iga Swiatek. The tight victory would have given her a huge boost ahead of her showdown with Kvitova.
Petra Kvitova vs Jelena Ostapenko head-to-head
Kvitova leads Ostapenko 4-3 in the head-to-head. Their last meeting was in Doha in 2020, when the Czech edged Ostapenko 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.
Petra Kvitova vs Jelena Ostapenko prediction
With both being aggressive baseliners, serve will play a crucial role in this contest.
Ostapenko coughed up nine double faults during her topsy-turvy match with Swiatek in the second round. The Pole had numerous chances to capitalize on the Latvian's second serve but failed to take advantage.
Kvitova, on the other hand, played brilliant first-strike tennis against Sabalenka, winning 76% of the points on her first serve. With the confidence gained from the commanding win, the southpaw will look to serve well and pummel Ostapenko's second serve, which could get terribly slow at times.
The Czech will also look to pin Ostapenko to the back of the court and finish points at the net.
Ostapenko does have the ability to hit winners from any part of the court but often makes a flurry of errors. If she cannot keep her error count in check, she will struggle against a player of Kvitova's caliber.
Prediction: Petra Kvitova to win in three sets.
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