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Match Details
Fixture: (31) Sloane Stephens vs Yulia Putintseva
Date: May 9, 2024
Tournament: Italian Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 64)
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $5,509,771
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+/3
Sloane Stephens vs Yulia Putintseva preview
After a first-round bye, Sloane Stephens will lock horns with Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the 2024 Italian Open on Thursday.
Stephens started her clay season at the Charleston Open. She ousted Magdalena Frech and Leylah Fernandez before losing to the in-form Danielle Collins in the third round. However, she went all the way in doubles and claimed her first title in the discipline alongside Ashlyn Krueger.
Stephens' next tournament was the Open de Rouen. She defeated Peyton Stearns, Karolina Pliskova, Yuan Yue, and Caroline Garcia to reach the final. She got the better of Magda Linette to claim her first title in over two years and her first on red clay as well.
Stephens continued her winning ways at the Madrid Open as she eliminated Martina Trevisan and Elise Mertens to reach the third round. Her unbeaten run came to an end there as Maria Sakkari sent her packing.
Putintseva, meanwhile, was up against former French Open semifinalist Martina Trevisan in the first round of the Italian Open. The Kazakh went down an early break to trail 2-0 in the first set.
Putintseva didn't remain on the back foot for too long as she swept six of the next seven games to take the set. She let go of an early lead in the second set as Trevisan managed to level the score. However, the Kazakh snagged another break in the ninth game and proceeded to serve out the match for a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Sloane Stephens vs Yulia Putintseva head-to-head
The two have split their previous six meetings evenly to tie the head-to-head at 3-3. Stephens won their most recent encounter at the 2023 French Open in three sets.
Sloane Stephens vs Yulia Putintseva odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Sloane Stephens vs Yulia Putintseva prediction
Putintseva played a solid match to down Trevisan in the first round. While she was bothered by a few hecklers in the crowd, she didn't let them get in her head. The Kazakh has been in great form over the last couple of months.
Putintseva reached the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open and was a quarterfinalist in Miami and Madrid. She even had match points against Elena Rybakina in Madrid but couldn't get over the finish line.
Stephens, on the other hand, hasn't made it past the third round of a WTA 1000 event since her quarterfinal run at the 2022 Guadalajara Open. Her record at the Italian Open isn't something to boast about either as she has seven wins from her 10 appearances at the venue.
Putintseva and Stephens have an intense rivalry as all six of their matches have gone to a deciding set. While the American won their last match, which was also on clay, the Kazakh's current form makes her the hot favorite to win this time.
Pick: Yulia Putintseva to win in three sets.
