Australian Open 2022: Bernarda Pera vs Jessica Pegula preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Bernarda Pera vs Jessica Pegula (21)

Date: 19 January 2022

Round: Second round (Round of 64)

Venue: Melbourne, Australia

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $75,000,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport

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Bernarda Pera vs Jessica Pegula preview

The Australian Open is Bernarda Pera's most succesful Grand Slam

21st seed Jessica Pegula will square off against World No. 105 Bernarda Pera for a spot in the third round of the Australian Open. The 27-year-old earned a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-5 win against World No. 51 Anhelina Kalinina in the first round.

Pegula had a poor start to the season, having lost both her matches in 2022 prior to the victory against Kalinina. However, she enjoyed a breakthrough 2021 season. She reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in Melbourne last year and broke into the top 20.

Meanwhile, Pera pulled off an upset against World No. 40 Ekaterina Alexandrova in her first-round match. The American has gone past the first round only twice in previous runs at the tournament and will be eager to improve on her best result (third round in 2018).

Upsets are not uncommon for Pera, who beat ninth seed Johanna Konta in the 2018 Australian Open and former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber in the 2021 edition.

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Bernarda Pera vs Jessica Pegula head-to-head

Pera and Pegula have never met before, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

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Bernarda Pera vs Jessica Pegula prediction

Pegula is the favorite even if Pera has a history of beating higher-ranked opponents

The match against Kalinina was a wake-up call for Pegula, whose confidence will be high after she rallied in the final two sets to avoid a disappointing loss.

She ended up hitting 46 winners in the match, 37 of them coming in the last two sets. Unfortunately, 37 of her 56 unforced errors also came in the second and third sets, indicative of the high-risk/ high-reward tennis the American is fond of playing.

Pera will be eager to employ an aggressive approach against the World No. 21. However, Pegula is an excellent ball-striker and if she can get her unforced errors under check she has all the weapons at her disposal to run rings around her compatriot.

Ons Jabeur announced today that she was withdrawing from the Australian Open with a back injury. The Tunisian was expected to be Pegula's opponent in the third round and her absence will surely provide Pegula extra motivation.

Despite making it hard for herself in the first round, the World No. 21 will be the favorite in this All-American second-round fixture. Pera may prove to be a tough nut to crack, but Pegula should be able to come through in the end.

Prediction: Jessica Pegula to win in three sets.