Roland Garros: Sloane Stephens vs Paula Badosa preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020 

Match details

Fixture: (29) Sloane Stephens vs Paula Badosa

Date: 1 October 2020

Tournament: Roland Garros 2020

Round: Second Round (Round of 64)

Venue: Paris, France

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: Approx €38,000,000

Match timing: Approx. 2 pm CEST, 5.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - NBC Sport / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Sloane Stephens vs Paula Badosa preview

On her best day, American Sloane Stephens can be a world-beater. The 27-year-old is a former World No. 3 and a former Grand Slam champion, having won the US Open in 2017. She was also a finalist at the 2018 French Open, after having already reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2013.

But one of the problems that Stephens has faced in her career is her inability to produce her best tennis on a weekly basis. Stephens is now ranked No. 34 in the world and had won just three of her last 10 matches before arriving in Paris for the French Open.

Sloane Stephens won the US Open women's singles title in 2017.

Her opponent on Thursday, Paula Badosa of Spain, broke into the top 100 last year and has managed to stay there ever since. The 22-year-old won a Grand Slam main draw match for the first time at the Australian Open this year, and is also a former French Open junior singles winner.

Sloane Stephens vs Paula Badosa head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between the two players, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Sloane Stephens vs Paula Badosa prediction

Paula Badosa reached the semi-finals of the WTA event in Istanbul recently.

Paula Badosa has said in the past that she takes inspiration from former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova of Russia. Badosa reached the semifinals of the recent Istanbul Open, so she does have some wins under her belt coming into Paris.

The Spaniard plays a steady game from the baseline but is not as flashy or hard-hitting as Stephens. This match will likely come down to who can keep their error count lower on the day, and if Stephens is having one of her off days, Badosa will take full advantage.

Prediction: Paula Badosa to win in straight sets.