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Match details
Fixture: (27) Petra Kvitova vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
Date: 12 March 2022
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Indian Wells, California, USA
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $8,369,455
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Petra Kvitova vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich preview
Petra Kvitova will open her 2022 BNP Paribas Open campaign with a second-round encounter against Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Saturday.
Kvitova, the 27th seed, has struggled with a wrist injury for most of the season. The Czech lost in the first round of the Australian Open, but gained some momentum in the Middle East—where she reached the quarterfinals in Dubai with wins over Aryna Sabalenka and Camila Giorgi.
The Czech, however, was forced to withdraw from her match against Elise Mertens in Doha and will enter Indian Wells with a lack of match practice.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich, meanwhile, will be looking to pick up from where she left off in last year's edition. The 27-year-old beat the likes of Emma Raducanu and Simona Halep en route to the fourth round.
Sasnovich came through an easy first-round outing, with her opponent Camila Osorio retiring down 6-4, 5-0.
Petra Kvitova vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich head-to-head
Kvitova and Sasnovich have split their previous two meetings, so their current head-to-head stands at a 1-1 deadlock. Kvitova won their last encounter at the 2019 Sydney International after dropping just three games.
Petra Kvitova vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich prediction
Both Kvitova and Sasnovich possess flat groundstrokes that are not best suited for the heavy conditions in Indian Wells.
Kvitova, in particular, has struggled to play her best tennis in humid weather. The Czech's wrist injury will also be a major concern. That said, she has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks and has the weapons in her arsenal to push Sasnovich on the backfoot.
Kvitova's serve will be key and she could use a few easy points to ease some of the pressure on her ground game—which can misfire at times.
The southpaw will need to be wary of Sasnovich's ability to use an opponent's pace against them. But if she can maintain a steady level, Kvitova should be able to book her spot in the next round.
Prediction: Kvitova to win in two tight sets
