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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Iga Swiatek vs Tatjana Maria.
Tournament: Bad Homburg Open 2023.
Round: First round (Round of 32).
Venue: Bad Homburg, Germany.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: $259,303.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Iga Swiatek vs Tatjana Maria preview
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will take on 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria in the first round of the 2023 Bad Homburg Open.
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During the hardcourt season, Swiatek managed to win just one title, which was at the Qatar Open. She lost in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships to Barbora Krejcikova. Elena Rybakina emerged as her nemesis this year as she defeated the Pole twice, first at the Australian Open and then at Indian Wells.
An injury prevented Swiatek from defending her title in Miami. Her clay swing started on a strong note, with a successful title defense at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The World No. 1 then made it to the final of the Madrid Open, but came up short against Aryna Sabalenka.
Swiatek's title defense at the Italian Open came to an end in the quarterfinals due to a mid-match injury while competing against Rybakina. She concluded her campaign on the red dirt by lifting the French Open trophy for the third time in four years.
Maria's highlight of the season has been successfully defending her Bogota Open title in April. She commenced her grass swing at the WTA 250 in Nottingham, where she lost to Heather Watson in the second round.
Maria then dropped down a level to compete at the WTA 125 tournament in Gaiba. She defeated Ylena In-Albon, Lisa Pigato and Yanina Wickmayer in straight sets to reach the semifinals. She'll face Olga Danilovic for a spot in the title round on Saturday.
Iga Swiatek vs Tatjana Maria head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Iga Swiatek vs Tatjana Maria odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Iga Swiatek vs Tatjana Maria prediction
Swiatek's results on grass have yet to rival what she has accomplished on clay and hardcourts. With a 6-5 win-loss record on the surface, she's still finding her footing. While her aspects of her game work on grass, she's yet to find a way to utilize her tools effectively.
Maria is a dangerous opponent to face early on, especially on grass. Her backhand slice works quite well on the surface, frequently putting her opponents in a spot of bother. However, the German hasn't been that consistent on the WTA tour in the last few weeks.
Maria seems to have gathered some momentum by performing well in Gaiba. This will be Swiatek's first match on grass this season, so if she's off to a slow start, she could find herself on the backfoot. But the World No. 1 rarely loses in the first round, so she's likely to find a way to turn things around in the end.
Pick: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets.
