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Match details
Fixture: (12) Ons Jabeur vs Danka Kovinic
Date: 10 April 2021
Tournament: Volvo Car Open 2021
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Charleston, United States
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Green clay
Prize money: $823,000
Match timing: Not before 1 pm local time, 10.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Europsort
Ons Jabeur vs Danka Kovinic preview
Ons Jabeur, the highest remaining seed at the 2021 Charleston Open, put up a dominant showing on quarterfinals day to take out American teenager Coco Gauff in straight sets.
The Tunisian brought out her characteristic variety to outmaneuvre her younger opponent. She made good use of short angles, drop shots and her powerful groundstrokes, and will be feeling good about her game.
Awaiting her in the semifinals is Danka Kovinic, who is having a great week in Charleston herself. Having entered the tournament with no big results to show for in 2021, the 26-year-old has now scored wins over the likes of Petra Kvitova, Leylah Fernandez and Yulia Putintseva.
Kovinic has always enjoyed playing on green clay. She has made it to the business end of the Charleston Open on more than one occasion, and will be sensing a real opportunity this time around.
Ons Jabeur vs Danka Kovinic head-to-head
Ons Jabeur leads Danka Kovinic in the head-to-head with a slender 1-0 margin. The Tunisian scored an easy straight-sets win over her opponent in their only prior meeting, which came on the claycourts of Budapest in 2018.
Ons Jabeur vs Danka Kovinic prediction
Ons Jabeur has been playing some fine tennis since her breakthrough run at the 2020 Australian Open, but a title at the WTA level has eluded her. This is a rare semi-final appearance for the Tunisian, and she will be keen to make the best of it.
Jabeur seems to have figured out the trick of doing well on green clay, which looks well-suited to her crafty style. Her arsenal of trick shots was on full display in the match against Gauff, and she will be hopeful of a repeat of that performance on Saturday.
For Danka Kovinic, the key will lie in staying consistent throughout the course of the match. The Montenegrin has a strong serve and a few weapons of her own, and if she can manage to keep the scoreline close, she can expect a few opportunities to come her way.
Jabeur is yet to drop a set this week, and has managed to deal with tricky situations well so far. She faces a big test against a steady opponent in Kovinic, but if she can showcase the level of restraint that she has in some of her last few matches, the Tunisian should be able to make it to the final.
Prediction: Ons Jabeur to win in three sets.
