The world number five Elina Svitolina faces the Greek challenge of Maria Sakkari in the second round of the 2020 WTA Ostrava Open on Wednesday, October 21. The match begins at around 8 pm local time (7 pm BST or 2 am Eastern Time). Get the live streaming options of this Elina Svitolina v Maria Sakkari match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Elina Svitolina v Maria Sakkari Head to Head
The match-up is evenly balanced at least from a historic point of view with both Svitolina and Sakkari having won a match apiece. Their first match came at the Wimbledon last year and Svitolina had needed three sets to get past Sakkari in the third round.
The Greek had her revenge at the San Jose Open later in 2019, when she overcame her opponent in another exciting three-setter to move into the semifinal.
Also Read:
Svitolina Coming off a French Open Disappointment
Disappointment is a relative term obviously but when you are the highest seeded player remaining in the tournament and have reached the quarterfinal, you would want to back yourself to go the distance.
Especially when you are gunning for your maiden Grand Slam title.
Especially while playing in a quarterfinal against a player ranked multiple places below you, and a rank outsider to win the match.
Unfortunately for Svitolina, who had earlier also won the Strasbourg Open, she was bundled out in the last eight in straight sets by the little-known Nadia Podoroska. Two weeks on now, Svitolina will begin her campaign on the indoor hard courts of Ostrava in the second round following a first round bye and it would be interesting to see how she adjusts to the switch from clay.
Svitolina is one of the top players on indoor hard court surfaces though, having reached the final of the WTA Finals last year, and won the same title in 2018. In 2017, Svitolina had clinched the Taipei Open competition indoors as well, beating Shuai Peng in the final.
She has a tough opponent first up but then such is the nature of this tournament, there are no easy opponents anyway.
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Sakkari Punches Pliskova Out
While Svitolina had a bye in the first round, world number 23 Sakkari needed to get past Kristyna Pliskova in her opening round encounter. And she did that in style, recording a 6-3, 6-3 win over the Czech to seal her place in the second round.
In a match lasting an hour and 17 minutes, Sakkari broke Pliskova twice in the first set to claim it easily before getting herself ahead with a break of serve for a 4-2 lead. Pliskova broke her back in the very next game but then failed to hold serve, as the world number 23 then served out for the match.
Sakkari had earlier suffered a first round loss at the Palermo Open to the same Pliskova before getting her post-pandemic season on tracks with a quarterfinal appearance at the Cincinnati Open and the fourth round in the US Open.
Earlier this year, Sakkari had made the semifinal of the St. Peterburg Open as well, her only other tournament on indoor hard court surface this season. Can she make it difficult for Svitolina?
Svitolina v Sakkari Prediction and Tip
Not surprising to see Svitolina starting off as a favourite but not by much. She is 8/11 to win this which are tempting odds, given her solid record on outdoor and indoor hard court surfaces.
Tip: Svitolina to win: 8/11 (bet365)
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The Cologne Open 2020 will be played from October 12 to 18. You can watch & bet on the Cologne Open here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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