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Match details
Fixture: (7) Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus
Date: 8 October 2021
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Indian Wells, USA
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize money: $8,761,725
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus preview
Petra Kvitova will open her 2021 BNP Paribas Open campaign with a second-round encounter against Arantxa Rus on Friday.
Kvitova, the 7th seed, enters the tournament on the back of a semifinal appearance at her last tour event (Ostrava). The Czech, who recently revealed that she will be ending her 2021 season at the end of Indian Wells, will now be eyeing a strong finish to the year.
Rus, on her part, will be looking to continue her recent run of good form. The Dutchwoman reached the final of a WTA 125K event in Belgrade before going on a roll on the ITF circuit, lifting three trophies in four tournaments.
Rus has also made a strong start to her campaign at the tournament here, dropping just one game in her match against Alycia Parks on Wednesday.
Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus head-to-head
This is set to be the first career meeting between Petra Kvitova and Arantxa Rus, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus prediction
Given the huge gulf in rankings and level of experience, Petra Kvitova will enter this contest as the firm favorite. However, she will need to be wary of Arantxa Rus given the form of the Dutchwoman.
Rus enjoys playing in slower conditions, and will look to turn this into a physical encounter. She also has a few key strengths - her serve and backhand in particular - that could well cause Kvitova a few problems.
Indian Wells isn't the most successful tournament for Kvitova, who struggles to find her range on the high-bouncing courts. But the Czech does possess the firepower to hit past most opponents, and will step out all guns blazing on Friday.
Admittedly, Kvitova has had trouble hanging on in some of the longer encounters this season. But if she can play aggressively and keep the points short, she should be able to come through in this one.
Prediction: Petra Kvitova to win in two tight sets.
