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Fixture: (1) Iga Swiatek vs Lesia Tsurenko.
Date: May 14, 2023.
Tournament: Italian Open 2023.
Round: Third Round (Round of 32).
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Outdoor clay.
Prize money: €3,572,618.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Iga Swiatek vs Lesia Tsurenko preview
Two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek will take on World No. 68 Lesia Tsurenko in the third round of the 2023 Italian Open on Sunday.
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Swiatek successfully defended her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart to kick off her clay swing on a positive note. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final for the second straight year to claim the title. The World No. 1 continued her good run of form at the Madrid Open.
Swiatek made it to the championship round for the first time in the Spanish capital, but Sabalenka managed to get the better of her this time around. The Pole received a first-round bye at the Italian Open, following which she was up against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round.
Swiatek was at her dominant best, winning the match without the loss of a single game. She handed Pavlyuchenkova a 6-0, 6-0 beatdown, her second such score at the venue. She defeated Karolina Pliskova with the same scoreline in the final of the 2021 Italian Open.
Tsurenko defeated compatriot Elina Svitolina in straight sets to set up a second round date against Bernarda Pera. The Ukrainian started the match by securing a break of serve, but dropped the next four games to trail 4-1. She staged a quick turnaround by bagging the next five games to clinch the set.
Tsurenko raced to a 5-1 lead in the second set and was on the cusp of victory, but Pera still had some fight left in her. The American went on a three-game run to make it 5-4. The Ukrainian served for the match yet again and was able to get the job done this time to win 6-4, 6-4.
Iga Swiatek vs Lesia Tsurenko head-to-head
Swiatek leads Tsurenko 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 French Open in straight sets.
Iga Swiatek vs Lesia Tsurenko odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Iga Swiatek vs Lesia Tsurenko prediction
Swiatek's unbeaten run on clay came to an end in the final of the Madrid Open. However, the World No. 1 made a statement with her win over Pavlyuchenkova. Her commanding win over the Russian proved that the loss against Sabalenka was more of an anomaly, rather than the new norm.
Swiatek smacked 19 winners and committed just nine unforced errors in the previous round. She faced just one break point the entire match, which she erased with ease.
Tsurenko managed to win just a couple of games during their previous encounter, which was also played on clay. Swiatek has proven herself to be a cut above the rest on the red dirt with her results. Given her solid start in Rome, expect the defending champion to score another easy win.
Pick: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets.
