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Match details
Fixture: (1) Simona Halep vs (WC) Jasmine Paolini
Date: 16 September 2020
Tournament: Italian Open 2020
Round: Second Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Rome, Italy
Category: WTA Premier 5
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €1,771,082
Match timing: 12:30 pm CEST, 4 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN
Simona Halep vs Jasmine Paolini preview
Having opted out of the Palermo Open and the US Open, World No. 2 Simona Halep makes a much-awaited return to the tour on the claycourts of the Italian Open on Wednesday.
Interestingly, the French Open champion has never managed to hold aloft the trophy in Rome. That is one thing she will look to change this time around, as she takes on the unheralded Jasmine Paolini in her opener.
Ever the consistent performer, Halep has left her mark even in a truncated season this year. The 28-year-old has played only four events but has a fantastic 15-2 record for the year going into her first match in the Italian capital.
Having reached the quarterfinals at Adelaide and the semifinals at the Australian Open, Halep lifted her first title of the season in Dubai just before the tour shut down. Even a six-month break couldn't dent her confidence though, as the former World No. 1 picked up where she left off and cruised to victory in Prague.
Italian wildcard Jasmine Paolini will need to play the match of her life if she is to pull off an upset against Halep. The 99th-ranked player has participated in 10 tournaments in 2020, with a disappointing 3-10 record prior to the Italian Open.
Paolini hasn't managed to string together more than one win in any tournament this year. That certainly isn't the best preparation she could have asked for before taking on someone of the stature of Simona Halep.
Simona Halep vs Jasmine Paolini head-to-head
Simona Halep and Jasmine Paolini have never met each other before on the WTA tour. There is a huge gulf in the rankings and accomplishments between the two, with the Italian wildcard being ranked 99th - 97 spots below the Romanian.
The highest that Paolini has ever been able to climb in the world rankings is No. 93, which she achieved in 2018. Moreover, she is yet to win a single title on the WTA Tour.
In sharp contrast, the former World No. 1 Halep has 21 titles to her name - with two of them being prized Grand Slam trophies.
Simona Halep vs Jasmine Paolini prediction
This promises to be an uphill task for Jasmine Paolini. Not only is Simona Halep an accomplished champion on the WTA tour, but her claycourt game is easily one of the best in the business.
Halep's fabulous footwork on the red dirt and her amazing anticipation skills make her the front-runner in any clay tournament she enters. And by dint of winning in Prague, Halep has also shown that there is no rust in her game.
Besides, the two-time Rome runner-up would also be highly motivated to effect a reversal of her fortunes at the Italian Open. This is one opportunity she wouldn't want to squander at any cost.
Prediction: Simona Halep to win in straight sets.
