Rome 2020: Daria Kasatkina vs Vera Zvonareva preview, head-to-head & prediction | Italian Open

Match details

Fixture: Daria Kasatkina vs Vera Zvonareva

Date: 15 September 2020

Tournament: Italian Open 2020

Round: First Round (Round of 64)

Venue: Rome, Italy

Category: WTA Premier 5

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: €1,771,082

Match timing: 4:15 pm CEST (7:45 pm IST)

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN

Daria Kasatkina vs Vera Zvonareva preview

After reaching the pre-quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open in the US, Vera Zvonareva will be keen to continue in the same vein at the Italian Open. She is also coming in on the back of doubles glory, having won the US Open with her German partner Laura Siegemund.

The former World No. 2 in singles doesn't have an extraordinary record on clay. She has never made it past the French Open quarterfinals, either in singles or doubles, and so the expectations will be low over the next month.

Zvonareva will lock horns with compatriot Daria Kasatkina in the opening round on Tuesday.

Daria Kasatkina is a former Top 10 player

Kasatkina turned professional in 2014, and in her six-year-long career, the Russian has witnessed many ups and downs. She was once ranked as high as World No. 10, but has dropped out of the top 50 now. Kasatkina has made it to the French Open quarterfinals in the past though, so she knows how to play on clay.

The 23-year-old tamed Arina Rodionova and Gabriela Dabrowski in the qualifying rounds, losing only five games in the process, and has a ton of momentum on her side. However, she is unlikely to have it as easy against her 36-year-old opponent on Tuesday.

Daria Kasatkina vs Vera Zvonareva head-to-head

Vera Zvonareva has never lost to Daria Kasatkina

Vera Zvonareva leads Daria Kasatkina by a margin of 1-0 in the head-to-head. The two Russian players had squared off in the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy last year, where Zvonareva defeated her opponent 6-3, 7-6.

Daria Kasatkina vs Vera Zvonareva prediction

Vera Zvonareva has much more experience on the WTA tour than Daria Kasatkina; she had turned professional when her opponent was just three years old.

Zvonareva had brought her A game to the table in the US, as she defeated four higher-ranked opponents at the Western & Southern Open. However, Daria Kasatkina will test both her skills and her fitness in the match on Tuesday.

Kasatkina loves to play on clay, where she uses her wide range of shots to outsmart her opponents. Zvonareva will have to bring all her experience to the fore to stay alive in this competition, but that is unlikely to be enough.

Prediction: Daria Kasatkina to win in three sets.