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Match Details
Fixture: (7) Petra Kvitova vs Karolina Pliskova
Tournament: bett1open 2023
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Venue: Berlin, Germany
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Grass
Prize money: $780,637
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Petra Kvitova vs Karolina Pliskova preview
Two-time Major champion Petra Kvitova will square off against former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in the first round of the 2023 bett1open in Berlin.
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Kvitova had a mini resurgence this season as she claimed her biggest title in five years by winning the Miami Open. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to sustain the momentum due to injuries, which forced her to miss a couple of tournaments, including Stuttgart and Rome.
Kvitova lost in the first round of her other two tournaments on the red dirt, one of which was the French Open. This marked the first time she failed to win a match on the surface in a season. The Czech will be hoping for some better results now that she's ready to compete on her favored surface, grass.
Pliskova, meanwhile, had some notable results at the start of the season, with a quarterfinal showing at the Australian Open standing out as a bright spot. However, her results declined a lot later on, especially during the clay swing.
Pliskova was drawn against Sloane Stephens in the first round of the French Open. Having struggled against the American in the past, she was no better this time around as well, losing to her in straight sets.
Petra Kvitova vs Karolina Pliskova head-to-head
Kvitova leads Pliskova 3-2 in the head-to-head. The former won their previous encounter at the 2022 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart in three sets.
Petra Kvitova vs Karolina Pliskova odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Petra Kvitova vs Karolina Pliskova prediction
Having struggled on clay over the last couple of months, the two will be hoping that a clean slate on grass will turn their seasons around. Both are excellent players on the surface, with Kvitova being a two-time Wimbledon champion while Pliskova is a runner-up at the All England Club.
Pliskova's serve, once a huge asset, has declined a fair bit now. She's still able to serve at a high level, but is prone to having some difficulties from time to time. Her court coverage was never a strong part of her game and continues to be a weakness.
This match could very well be on Kvitova's racquet. If she's back to her best, the big-hitting Czech has the potential to easily subdue her compatriot. Getting the upper hand in baseline exchanges is quite easy for her to do on grass, as she has demonstrated on numerous occasions in the past.
With two of the tour's most competent players on grass going toe-to-toe, this could end up being a cracker of a match. Their previous encounter have been quite competitve as well. Both might need some time to get going, but once in the zone, Kvitova is more likely to emerge victorious.
Pick: Petra Kvitova to win in three sets.
