Italian Open 2022: Leylah Fernandez vs Daria Kasatkina preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match details

Fixture: Leylah Fernandez vs Daria Kasatkina

Date: 11 May 2022

Tournament: Italian Open 2022

Round: Second round (Round of 32)

Venue: Rome, Italy

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Clay

Prize money: €2,527,250

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Leylah Fernandez vs Daria Kasatkina preview

Last year's US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will lock horns with World No. 23 Daria Kasatkina in the second round of the 2022 Italian Open on Wednesday.

Fernandez arrived in Rome with just a solitary win under her belt on clay. After an opening-round exit from the Charleston Open, she defeated Andrea Petkovic in three sets at the Madrid Open. But she lost to Jil Teichmann in the second round in straight sets.

At the Italian Open, Fernandez was up against 2021 Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round. The Russian claimed the opening set, but the Canadian teenager raised her level as the match progressed to prevail 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 and make a winning debut in Rome.

Daria Kasatkina at the 2022 Italian Open

Daria Kasatkina, meanwhile, commenced her clay season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she lost in the second round to Ons Jabeur. She fared better at the Madrid Open, making it to the third round.

In her Italian Open opener, she defeated 2021 Roland Garros semifinalist Tamara Zidansek in straight sets. She has never progressed beyond the third round in Rome and will be eager to change that stat this time around.

Leylah Fernandez vs Daria Kasatkina head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between the two players, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.

Leylah Fernandez vs Daria Kasatkina odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (Over & Under)
Leylah Fernandez	+110	-1.5 (+225)	Over 21.5 (-115)
Daria Kasatkina	-140	+1.5 (-350)	Under 21.5 (-120)

(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)

Leylah Fernandez vs Daria Kasatkina prediction

Leylah Fernandez at the 2022 Mutua Madrid Open

Kasatkina has more experience than Fernandez on clay, which could give her a slight edge heading into this contest.

The Canadian is nothing if not a fighter though, and her determination was on full display in her opener in Rome. The Canadian lost seven straight games at the start of her first-round match but dug deep to eke out a win.

Fernandez struck 30 winners compared to 23 unforced errors and her forehand was particularly effective on the big points.

Kasatkina, meanwhile, is known for her crafty and patient style of play, but against Zidansek in the first round, she took an aggressive approach that yielded dividends. She frequently attacked the Slovenian's backhand, her weaker wing. She also fared extremely well during return games, breaking her opponent's serve seven times during the match.

Kasatkina will need to employ a similarly proactive approach to stop Fernandez dictating proceedings from the back of the court.

An interesting stat heading into this encounter is that the teenager is undefeated against Russian players at the WTA level. Kasatkina's experience will definitely prove to be an asset, but Fernandez is a quick learner and has outsmarted more experienced opponents in the past. The Canadian might just withstand her opponent's challenge to progress to the third round.

Pick: Leylah Fernandez to win in three sets.

About the author

Rohit is a journalist at Sportskeeda who specializes in covering tennis. Having been with the company for three years, he has proven himself as a formidable force in the field. With a Master's degree in law, Rohit brings his analytical and research skills to the forefront as a journalist. He stays on top of the game by using social media platforms and never misses a match for on-court insights. He values giving credit where it's due, keeping his reporting fair and accurate.

At the outset of his career, Rohit found his niche in writing previews and SEO pieces and it's this expertise that continues to define his role at Sportskeeda. He is particularly proud of one article that garnered an impressive 750k views and surpassed his "wildest dreams." Rohit is not particularly fond of (GOAT) debates and it is one of the reasons why he left the legal world behind. He prefers to view players in "tiers," where they're all esteemed to an extent. However, if pressed to name favorites, he would choose Serena and Venus Williams. The Williams sisters' journey from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of tennis has been his greatest source of inspiration.

When he isn't busy making spot-on predictions about match outcomes, Rohit likes reading, particularly fantasy, sci-fi, and comics. As an X-Men fanatic, he's also passionate about board games and enjoys watching movies in his spare time. And don't be surprised if you catch him silently wishing to the tennis gods for the removal of ad scoring from doubles.

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Edited by Nihal Taraporvala