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Match Details
Fixture: (2) Paula Badosa vs Petra Kvitova
Tournament: AGEL Open 2022
Date: October 5, 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Ostrava, Czech Republic
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: $757,900
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Vide
Paula Badosa vs Petra Kvitova preview
The second round of the 2022 AGEL Open will witness home favorite Petra Kvitova take on second seed Paula Badosa in a blockbuster encounter on Wednesday.
Kvitova, who took a last-minute wildcard into the tournament, scored a solid three-set win over the in-form Bernada Pera in her opening match here. The southpaw has been in good form of late, having won 16 of her last 20 matches — with the run also including a title in Eastbourne and another final showing in Cincinnati.
A semifinalist here in Ostrava last year, Kvitova will be keen to carry the winning momentum deeper into the tournament.
Badosa, meanwhile, comes into the tournament off a relatively poor patch in terms of results. The Spaniard has made early exits in her last four main draw appearances and her last big result was reaching the semifinals in Silicon Valley. She will be desperate to turn over a new leaf heading into the final leg of the season.
Making her debut in Ostrava, Badosa was given a bye in the opening round. She, however, faces a tough task ahead in the form of the big-hitting Kvitova.
Paula Badosa vs Petra Kvitova head-to-head
Paula Badosa and Petra Kvitova have split their two prior meetings, so their current head-to-head stands at a 1-1 deadlock. The Spaniard won the duo's latest meeting at Wimbledon earlier this year.
Paula Badosa vs Petra Kvitova odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Paula Badosa vs Petra Kvitova prediction
Petra Kvitova's power-packed game has come alive on the Ostrava hardcourts on more than one occasion. Host to a slew of Billie Jean King Cup matches, the venue has seen the Czech player post some gritty wins over the years.
Kvitova once again found herself having to dig deep against Pera in the opening round after falling behind a break of serve in the decider. The Czech, however, showed incredible fighting spirit to eke out the win — later crediting the fans for helping her find the strength to do so.
Against Paula Badosa, though, the home favorite will need to be at her very best. While the Spaniard has not played her best tennis leading up to the encounter, her big serve and consistent baseline hitting make her a tough opponent.
Kvitova struggles in the face of steady defense, often losing her patience in rallies and giving away easy points due to errors. She will need to be more patient in her approach to make an impact. A lot will also depend on her ability to return some of Badosa's big first serves — which the Spaniard uses to great effect.
That said, Kvitova got a taste of big serving in her opening match against Pera and was successful in diffusing the challenge. If she can continue playing with measured aggression, she should be able to avenge her Wimbledon loss in front of her home fans.
Pick: Kvitova to win in two tight sets
