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Fixture: (19) Jelena Ostapenko vs Linda Fruhvirtova.
Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open 2023.
Round: Second Round (Round of 64).
Venue: Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Outdoor clay.
Prize money: €7,652,174.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Linda Fruhvirtova preview
2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will square off against Linda Fruhvirtova in the second round of the 2023 Madrid Open.
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Ostapenko started the season on a strong note by reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time. She has since struggled to post consistent results, just twice winning consecutive matches following her run Down Under.
A fourth-round showing at the Miami Open remains Ostapenko's second-best result this year. She started her clay season in Stuttgart by competing in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She defeated fellow Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu in the first round.
Up against Ons Jabeur in the second round, Ostapenko claimed the first set, but went on to lose the match in three sets. As one of the seeded players in Madrid, she received a first-round bye.
Fruhvirtova took on Katie Volynets in the first round here. The teenager fell behind 2-0 in the opening set, but bagged the next four games to go 4-2 up. The Czech youngster lost serve once again, but nabbed the next couple of games to clinch the set.
The two were evenly matched for most of the second set. Fruhvirtova secured the decisive break in the 11th game of the set to lead 6-5. She served out the match with ease in the following game to win 6-4, 7-5.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Linda Fruhvirtova head-to-head
Ostapenko leads Fruhvirtova 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships in straight sets.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Linda Fruhvirtova odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Jelena Ostapenko vs Linda Fruhvirtova prediction
Fruhvirtova's serve held up quite well during her first-round win over Volynets. She threw in just four double faults, which is a rather respectable number for her. The teenager currently ranks fifth on the tour with respect to the number of double faults committed.
Ostapenko feasted on Fruhvirtova's serve when they faced off in Dubai a couple of months ago. The Czech youngster was overwhelmed by her opponent's powerful ball-striking and quickly faded away after some initial resistance.
Fruhvirtova's a rising young talent, but she's still got a long way to go. She has struggled against quality opposition in the past. The conditions in Madrid make things difficult for a lot of players. Unless Ostapenko loses the plot completely, it's hard to see her not coming out on top in this contest.
Pick: Jelena Ostapenko to win in straight sets.
