Ostrava 2021: Elena Rybakina vs Magda Linette preview, head-to-head & prediction | J&T Banka Open

Match details

Fixture: (7) Elena Rybakina vs Magda Linette

Date: 23 September 2021

Tournament: Ostrava Open 2021

Round: Second round (Round of 16)

Venue: Ostrava, Czech Republic

Category: WTA 500

Surface: Indoor hardcourt

Prize money: $565,530

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

Elena Rybakina vs Magda Linette preview

Elena Rybakina and Magda Linette will square off in an exciting second-round clash at the 2021 Ostrava Open on Thursday.

Rybakina, the seventh seed, picked up a straight-sets win over Veronika Kudermetova in her opener on Wednesday. The Kazakh looked dialed in from the get-go and put up a dominant display in almost every department to close out a 6-1, 6-3 win over the Russian.

She will now be looking to carry the momentum deep into the tournament. However, she faces a stern test in the form of the tenacious Linette in the next round.

Magda Linette has already played three matches in Ostrava this week.

Linette has already scored three solid wins in Ostrava this week, having come through the qualification rounds.

The Pole was in top form in her last match against Oceane Dodin. Linette stepped up her game in the face of some big-hitting from the Frenchwoman, and finished the match with a total of 30 winners.

Elena Rybakina vs Magda Linette head-to-head

This will be the first career meeting between Elena Rybakina and Magda Linette, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.

Elena Rybakina vs Magda Linette prediction

Rybakina will look to take on the role of the aggressor.

Elena Rybakina struck a purple patch during the European summer. Her results have dried up since, but she remains a huge threat.

The Kazkah possesses big weapons in the form of her serve and flat groundstrokes, which should work well on indoor hardcourts. Rybakina had a lot of success going for her shots in the first round and she will look to continue with the same game plan against Linette.

Linette, for her part, is capable of going toe-to-toe with most players from the baseline. Her new-found aggression has yielded positive results of late.

The Pole got a taste of powerful serving in the previous round against Dodin. Linette's plan to go after the Frenchwoman's second serve worked wonderfully, as she won an impressive 77% of the points. She was also strong on her own serve, firing a total of 13 aces.

Linette is a tactical player and will enter this contest with a set game plan. Rybakina remains the slight favorite, but if she isn't at her best, Linette could very well pull off an upset.

Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in three sets