Italian Open 2023: Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick

Fixture: (7) Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya

Date: Sunday, May 14

Tournament: Italian Open 2023

Round: Third Round (Round of 32)

Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Outdoor clay

Prize money: €7,705,780

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

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Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya

Rybakina is looking to make a deep run in Rome.

Seventh seed Elena Rybakina takes on unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya for a place in the Italian Open fourth round on Sunday.

World No. 6 Rybakina opened her campaign for a maiden claycourt WTA 1000 title with a straight-set win over Italy's Jasmine Paolini to improve to 23-7 on the season. The Australian Open finalist had a tough opener, getting stretched to a tiebreak. He then conceded only one game in the second to book her place in the third round.

The 23-year-old is coming off an opening-round loss at the Madrid Open two weeks ago before making the Stuttgart second round. Rybakina has had a fabulous stint on hardcourt, reaching her second Grand Slam final - her first at the Australian Open - before losing to Aryna Sabalenka.

The reigning Wimbledon champion then sizzled in the North American hardcourt swing, going all the way at Indian Wells. Petra Kvitova denied her a Sunshine Double by beating the Kazakh in the Miami final.

Meanwhile, the 55th-ranked Kalinskaya has had two wins this week to improve to 9-4 in 2023. The Russian saw off Dayana Yastremska in her opener before upsetting 25th seed Elise Mertens in the next round to book a showdown with Rybakina.

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Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya head-to-head

Rybakina has won only one of her three meetings with Kalinskaya. That lone win came in the pair's lone claycourt meeting two weeks ago in the Madrid second round.

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Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (over/under)
Elena Rybakina	-300	-1.5 (-125)	Over 20.5 (-120)
Anna Kalinskaya	+220	+1.5 (-110)	Under 20.5 (-115)

(All odds as per BETMGM)

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Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya prediction

Kalinskaya is into the third round.

Both Rybakina and Kalinskaya are quintessential baseliners, but the similarities in their game styles end there.

The Kazakh is a big server, hits powerfully off either flank, and is an excellent mover. Kalinskaya, by contrast, has more modest attributes. The two players also come into this matchup in contrasting form.

While Rybakina has won 23 times this year, her Russian opponent has had fewer than 10 victories. Although the Kazakh trails in her head-to-head with Kalinskaya, she's coming off a win in the pair's lone claycourt meeting and should prevail again.

Pick: Rybakina in straight sets