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WTA action moves to the Czech Republic this Monday as the Prague Open 2020 gets underway. In one of the marquee first-round clashes on Day 1, former Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard will clash with eighth-seeded Russian Veronika Kudermetova at Centre Court.
Bouchard had entered the top 5 of the WTA women's singles rankings back in 2014. However, she has fallen to the 332nd rank now, courtesy of a string of below-par performances in recent times.
The Canadian player has received a wildcard to play in the Prague Open 2020.
Eugenie Bouchard's performance in the early part of 2020 was quite up-and-down. She beat Kirsten Flipkens and Caroline Garcia at the ASB Classic Auckland, but couldn't make it past the qualifying round of the Australian Open.
Bouchard would want to gain some momentum by performing well on the clay courts at the Prague Open. But she will face a stiff challenge from the eighth seed Veronika Kudermetova, who had a 44-25 win-loss record in 2019.
The Russian attained her career-best singles ranking of No. 38 in February earlier this year. But while Kudermetova has taken giant strides on the WTA tour, her performances at big tournaments have not been too impressive.
The Kazan-based player's best performance at a Grand Slam is her third-round exit from the French Open last year. Kudermetova would be hoping to reach the business end of the Prague Open and continue her form in the Grand Slam competitions scheduled for next month.
Veronika Kudermetova vs Eugenie Bouchard head-to-head
Although there is a massive rankings gap between the two players right now, Eugenie Bouchard holds an advantage over Veronika Kudermetova when it comes to their head-to-head record.
The Canadian player had beaten Kudermetova 7-5, 6-0 during their qualifying round clash at Gstaad 2018. Interestingly, that match was also played on clay.
The fact that Bouchard didn't allow the Russian a single game in the second set would likely provide her a mental advantage in Monday's clash.
Veronika Kudermetova vs Eugenie Bouchard prediction
While the rankings may favor Veronika Kudermetova, Eugenie Bouchard knows how to bring her 'A' game to the table when the stakes are high. The Canadian star would look to make a bright start after the COVID-19 break, and it won't be surprising if she upsets her Russian opponent in the first round of the Prague Open.
Prediction: Eugenie Bouchard to win in three sets.
