Some of the first round action at the 2023 Prague Open will see second seed Zhu Lin take on Yanina Wickmayer and Alize Cornet play Lucie Havlickova . Get the latest predictions along with the odds, preview and head to head for these matches along with Anna Karolina Schmiedlova v Patricia Țig and Kaia Kanepi v Lucrezia Stefanini.
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Zhu Lin v Yanina Wickmayer Preview
Head-to-Head: They are 1-1 from their previous meetings.
Second seed Zhu Lin has been in good form throughout the season, but she comes into the tournament after a disappointing second round exit from the Poland Open this week. The world no. 38 went down to Laura Siegemund in straight sets in the round of 16.
Zhu is 18-13 overall and 14-8 on hard courts this year. She reached her first ever WTA final this year in Hua Hin, and went on to win the title by beating Lesia Tsurenko in the final. She was also a semifinalist in Monterrey, a quarterfinalist in Auckland and made it to the round of 16 at the Australian Open. She also played in a grass semifinal in Birmingham. The 29-year-old Chinese player will be playing in Prague for the second time. She lost in the round of 16 in 2022.
Facing Zhu will be Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer, who enjoyed an excellent run at the Poland Open this week. The world no. 109 defeated Nao Hibino, Tereza Martincova and Heather Watson, before falling to Iga Swiatek in the semifinal.
Wickmayer, who will be playing in the doubles final of the Poland Open later this evening, is 41-13 across levels this year. The five-time tour level champion has featured in four ITF finals this year, winning three of them. Can she give Zhu a tough fight?
Zhu Lin v Yanina Wickmayer Tip
Wickmayer is expected to give Zhu a tough fight, but the Chinese player should eventually come out on top. Zhu to win: 1/2
Alize Cornet v Lucie Havlickova Preview
Head-to-Head: This will be a first meeting between the two.
World no. 70 and sixth seed Alize Cornet has not had much success on hard court this year. She is 1-5 on the surface and will be playing her first match on hard court since her first round exit at the Indian Wells Open.
Cornet is 15-19 overall this year and is coming of a quarterfinal finish at the Lausanne Open this week. A six-time tour level champion from 15 finals, Cornet is 2-5 on hard court finals.
She will be playing in Prague for the fourth time this year, and her best were round of 16 finishes in 2-15 and 2022.
Facing Cornet will be world no. 197 Lucie Havlickova of the Czech Republic, who has been handed a wild card for the tournament.
This is the 18-year-old’s first tour level tournament this season. She has only featured in the lower level events and has a 30-18 season record, which includes a 0-1 record on hard court. This will be her third main appearance in Prague. She lost in the first round in 2021 and the second round in 2022.
Alize Cornet v Lucie Havlickova Tip
Cornet is the superior player and a heavy favourite in this match. Cornet to win: 1/4
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Anna Karolina Schmiedlova v Patricia Țig Preview
Head-to-Head: They have never met before
World no. 81 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova is coming to the Prague Open for the third time. She has reached the round of 16 on both the previous attempts.
The Slovak player is 18-18 across levels in 2023 and has played her best tennis on clay, reaching the fourth round at Roland Garros and finishing as a quarterfinalist in Budapest.
On hard courts, Schmiedlova is 8-8 from all her matches this season. Can the three-time tour level champion start off with a win? She has an easy first round though.
Patricia Maria Țig made a return to tour level tennis this season following close to one-anda-half year of inactivity. She did play in lower lover tournaments during the period but not at the tp level.
Ranked no. 706, the Romanian is 0-3 at the tour level in 2023. She has an overall record of 5-5 this season.
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova v Patricia Țig Tip
This is expected to be a one-sided contest with the more consistent Schmiedlova advancing. Schmiedlova to win: 1/6
Kaia Kanepi v Lucrezia Stefanini Preview
Head-to-Head: They have never met previously
World no. 93 Kaia Kanepi won an ITF in Amstelveen earlier this month. So she has been in decent touch on clay but now has to transition to hard courts, where she has had a tough time this year.
Kanepi is 3-7 on hard courts. The 38-year-old Estonian, who is a four-time champion from 10 finals, has been a decent player on hard courts throughout her career and will look to make a solid start in her first ever appearance in Prague.
World no. 108 Lucrezia Stefanini had a very good run at the Poland Open this week, reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Stefanini is 26-15 across levels in 2023 and is 17-7 on hard courts. She has claimed two ITF titles on hard courts and finished runner-up in an indoor tournament. Additionally she also made her grand slam debut this year, reaching the second round at the Australian Open and falling in the opening round at Roland Garros.
Kaia Kanepi v Lucrezia Stefanini Tip
Kanepi is far more experienced than the 25-year-old Italian and will be a slight favourite in this contest, despite Stefanini’s good form on hard court. Kanepi to win: 4/5
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The 2023 Prague Open will be played from July 31 to August 6. Get our ultimate guide on tennis betting and predictions here.
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