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Fixture: (1) Iga Swiatek vs (PR) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Tournament: Italian Open 2023.
Round: Second Round (Round of 64).
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Outdoor clay.
Prize money: €3,572,618.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Iga Swiatek vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova preview
Iga Swiatek will commence her title defense against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round of the 2023 Italian Open.
Swiatek's started her clay swing at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she was the defending champion. She successfully defended her title, scoring a straight-sets win over Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
The Pole then compered in the Madrid Open for the first time since 2021. She defeated Julia Grabher, Bernarda Pera, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Petra Martic and Veronika Kudermetova to reach her first final at the venue. However, this time around, she lost to Sabalenka in a tough three-set encounter.
Swiatek is the two-time defending champion at the Italian Open. She's on a 11-match winning streak at the venue. She won the title last year without dropping a set.
Pavlyuchenkova, meanwhile, was drawn against former top 10 player Sara Errani in the first round here. She dropped just one game en route to claiming the opening set. The second set was no different, with the Russian handing out yet another breadstick to win the match 6-1, 6-1.
Iga Swiatek vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova head-to-head
This will be the very first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Iga Swiatek vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Iga Swiatek vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova prediction
Pavlyuchenkova's decisive victory over Errani in the first round marks her finest win since her comeback. The Russian was in control of the proceedings right from the first point and maintained a steady level throughout the match.
The Foro Italico has become Swiatek's fortress over the last couple of years. Challenging the World No. 1 on her turf won't be an easy task for Pavlyuchenkova. The Russian will need to improve upon the level she displayed in the previous round in order to make this a competitive battle.
Swiatek's game is pretty well-rounded and the slow conditions in Rome further enhance her ball-striking. The 21-year-old usually cruises through the early rounds without a fuss and her encounter against Pavlyuchenkova should prove to be no different.
Pick: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets.
