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Match details
Fixture: (1) Elina Svitolina vs (Q) Viktoriya Tomova.
Tournament: Monterrey Open.
Date: 3 March 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Monterrey, Mexico.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Prize money: $235,238.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Elina Svitolina vs Viktoriya Tomova preview
Top seed Elina Svitolina will take on qualifier Viktoriya Tomova in the second round of the 2022 Monterrey Open on Thursday.
Svitolina, along with other players from Ukraine, have been quite vocal about the hardship that their country is currently going through. Prior to her match against Anastasia Potapova, a Russian, she announced that going forward, she would only compete if Russian and Belarusian athletes participated as neutral athletes and didn't compete under their national flags.
The necessary action was taken and Svitolina stepped on court to arguably play her best match of the year to sail past Potapova 6-2, 6-1. Her opponent also looked subdued in what turned out to be a lopsided contest.
The former World No. 3 has pledged to donate all of her winnings from the tournament to the Ukrainian army.
Meanwhile, Viktoriya Tomova secured her spot in the main draw of the Monterrey Open after winning a couple of qualifying matches. In the opening round, she defeated Diane Parry 6-4, 6-0 to record her first victory of the year. The French teenager had no answers to the Bulgarian's onslaught.
Having finally got a win under her belt, Tomova will look to keep the momentum going against Svitolina.
Elina Svitolina vs Viktoriya Tomova head-to-head
This will be their first meeting on tour, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Elina Svitolina vs Viktoriya Tomova prediction
Given the vast gulf in their rankings and experience, Svitolina will be the firm favorite to win this contest. The current situation in Ukraine has also seemingly made her more determined to perform at her very best.
Svitolina has had a subpar season so far. Prior to competing in Monterrey, her record for the year stood at 3-5. But she's a former champion in the Mexican city, so she knows what it takes to go all the way here.
The 2018 WTA Finals champion will rely on her quick movement across the court and defensive skills to get to the better of Tomova. Svitolina served rather well in her opening-round match against Potapova, but that's an area of her game that can let her down at times.
Tomova plays a similar brand of tennis to Svitolina. She's a decent counterpuncher and is now on the verge of breaking into the top 100 of the rankings for the first time in her career.
Svitolina does not often struggle against defensive baseliners and she's unlikely to have much trouble outperforming Tomova to advance in Monterrey.
Prediction: Elina Svitolina to win in straight sets.
