Miami Open 2021: Elina Svitolina vs Shelby Rogers preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (5) Elina Svitolina vs Shelby Rogers

Date: 25 March 2021

Tournament: Miami Open 2021

Round: Second round (Round of 64)

Venue: Miami, Florida

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $3,340,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Europsort

Elina Svitolina vs Shelby Rogers preview

Fifth seed Elina Svitolina takes on America's Shelby Rogers in the second round of the 2021 Miami Open.

Svitolina has had a rather indifferent start to the season, with a 9-6 W/L record and no significant results. The Ukrainian followed up back-to-back quarterfinal losses in January with a surprise fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, where she lost to Jessica Pegula. She then bowed out early in both Doha and Dubai.

Svitolina will be looking to bounce back by making a deep run at Miami, but standing in her way first up is the experienced Shelby Rogers.

Shelby Rogers

Rogers has been a mainstay on the WTA tour for a while. And while she hasn't registered any big titles in the recent past, the American has produced some solid results over the past year.

Following her second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance at the US Open last year, Rogers has beaten the likes of Petra Kvitova and Johanna Konta. She has also reached two quarterfinals, in the Melbourne tune-up and the post-Australian Open Adelaide event.

Rogers will be brimming with confidence after defeating compatriot Madison Brengle in the first round, which helped her set up the encounter against Svitolina.

Elina Svitolina vs Shelby Rogers head-to-head

The second-round encounter in Miami will be the fourth meeting between the pair, with Elina Svitolina currently leading the head-to-head 3-0 over Shelby Rogers.

The Ukrainian's latest victory over Rogers came in routine fashion, in the third round of the 2017 US Open. But Svitolina was made to work hard for her other two victories, at Brisbane 2017 and Osaka 2014.

Elina Svitolina vs Shelby Rogers prediction

On paper, Elina Svitolina is the overwhelming favorite for her second-round match against Shelby Rogers. However, Svitolina's indifferent recent form could well turn this encounter into a difficult battle.

The Ukrainian will be up against an opponent who can challenge her from the baseline. Rogers has proven several times in the past that she can stay with any player in the world if her return game is on.

But the American will have to be careful about keeping her errors in check, something that she failed to do in her last two defeats - against Victoria Azarenka and Svetlana Kuznetsova in Doha and Dubai respectively.

Elina Svitolina

Rogers certainly has the baseline firepower to consistently disrupt Svitolina's rhythm. Moreover, she has more than held her own on hardcourts since the tour's restart in August last year.

But given Svitolina's experience in big tournaments and the effectiveness of her counterpunching game on the surface, she may have the edge in this encounter.

Prediction: Elina Svitolina to win in three sets.