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Second seed Petra Martic is playing her second tournament in as many weeks, and will be looking to back up her semifinal finish in Palermo when she takes on Kristyna Pliskova in the second round of the 2020 Prague Open.
The Croat enjoys playing on clay, but just could not find her best tennis last week. She played a couple of solid matches, only to surrender the last four match to an injured leg and erratic play.
Martic has a tough task ahead of herself as big-serving Kristyna Pliskova awaits her in tomorrow's encounter.
Pliskova, much like Martic, had something to take away from her week in Palermo. While she lost out early to Sara Errani, she did score an encouraging win over Maria Sakkari.
As always, the Czech managed to deliver a very solid serving performance and was virtually unbeatable behind the first delivery. It was her second serve and return that cost her at crucial junctures in the match.
She will be keen to improve on those aspects of her game this week, especially given the mental prowess of her opposition.
Petra Martic vs Kristyna Pliskova head-to-head
Petra Martic has won the duo's only prior meeting on the tour. That win came on the hardcourts of Doha way back in 2014, where the conditions were completely different from what they are here.
But the Croat still remains a favorite. She has come a long way in the last few years and is now a top 20 player - who has given plenty of evidence of her capabilities on clay.
Martic will need to be a little more measured in her attack, as unforced errors cost her a lot of points in the semifinals at Palermo. Kristyna Pliskova is capable of winning her own set of free points, and errors from Matic's side will only make things simpler.
Petra Martic vs Kristyna Pliskova prediction
Petra Martic's match fitness would be a significant factor here, but with the way she handled her opening match, things seem okay. She will still need to play at a very high level, because anything short of that will just not be good enough against someone like Kristyna Pliskova.
Prediction: Petra Martic to win in two tight sets.
