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Match details
Fixture: (2) Barbora Krejcikova vs Isabella Shinikova
Date: 13 July 2021
Tournament: Livesport Prague Open 2021
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Venue: Prague, Czech Republic
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Hardcourts
Prize money: $235,238
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Barbora Krejcikova vs Isabella Shinikova preview
Second seed Barbora Krejcikova will open her Prague Open campaign against Bulgarian qualifier Isabella Shinikova on Tuesday.
Krejcikova is in the midst of a spectacular season. The 25-year-old won her maiden WTA title in Strasbourg and followed it up with a memorable Roland Garros campaign, where she triumphed in both singles and doubles.
The Czech then carried that momentum into the grass swing and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon before falling to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty.
Currently perched at a career-high No. 13 in the world, she will settle for nothing less than the title at home.
Krejcikova's first-round opponent, Isabella Shinikova, mainly plies her trade on the ITF circuit. The Bulgarian, whose career-high ranking is 159, has a disappointing 12-9 win-loss record for the year. Moreover, she has managed two wins at a tournament just once in 13 events.
Overcoming the in-form Krejcikova will be an uphill task for her.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Isabella Shinikova head-to-head
Barbora Krejcikova leads Isabella Shinikova 1-0 in the head-to-head. The Czech notched up a 6-4, 6-0 win over Shinikova at an ITF event in Sarajevo in 2012.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Isabella Shinikova prediction
Barbora Krejcikova will look to use this tournament to fine-tune her game on the hardcourts and gain some momentum ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
The French Open champion couldn't have asked for an easier opener. Shinikova has had an underwhelming season and comes into this tournament low on confidence. Even though she did win a couple of matches in qualifying, facing Krejcikova will be a different ballgame altogether.
The Czech has a lot of variety in her game. Krejcikova will not only look to dominate from the baseline with her powerful forehand but she will also try to use her slices and dropshots to disrupt Shinikova's rhythm. Krejcikova's brilliant movement and pinpoint accuracy should be too much for the struggling Shinikova to contend with.
Prediction: Barbora Krejcikova to win in straight sets.
