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Camila Giorgi continued her fine form by coming through a topsy-turvy three-set match against talented youngster Marta Kostyuk in her first match at the 2020 Prague Open.
The Italian, who surged up the rankings on the back of her semifinal run in Palermo last week, is looking stronger than ever. But she will need to maintain the momentum because up next is third seed Elise Mertens.
The Belgian is definitely a tough opponent to play this early in a tournament, and Camila Giorgi would be well aware of the threat.
Mertens prefers to play to on hardcourts, which are better suited to her baseline oriented game. That said, she has had considerable amount of success playing on clay too.
The Belgian has won titles in Lugano and Morocco, and she made the second week at the 2018 French Open too. Elise Mertens is also not easily intimidated by power players, as her court movement and foot speed help her stay in long rallies.
That quality will really come in handy when facing someone like Camila Giorgi, who is ruthless in her hitting. The Italian looks to pull the trigger early on almost every shot, and it will be up to Mertens to find a way to stay in the game.
Camila Giorgi vs Elise Mertens head-to-head
Elise Mertens did muster a straight sets win over Camila Giorgi in Japan last year. The two have never played each other apart from that, and this will also be their first meeting on clay.
Both Mertens and Giorgi also participated in Palermo last week, and had varying results. While the Italian fell just short of her first claycourt final, Mertens was knocked out of the first round.
Coming into this match, the former will be feeling more confident - and that sort of advantage can play a huge role in the result.
Camila Giorgi vs Elise Mertens prediction
While recent form and results suggest a favorable outcome for Camila Giorgi, Elise Mertens does have a few things going for her as well.
The Belgian has the sort of temperament and consistency in her game that can really unsettle Giorgi. If she can find a way to stay in rallies long enough and frustrate the Italian, Mertens can definitely put up a strong stand.
That said, if Giorgi continues to play the way we have seen her for the last week and a half, the match will be on her racquet.
Prediction: Camila Giorgi to win in three sets.
