Roland Garros 2021: Iga Swiatek vs Anett Kontaveit preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (8) Iga Swiatek vs Anett Kontaveit

Date: 5 June 2021

Tournament: Roland Garros 2021

Round: Third round (Round of 32)

Venue: Paris, France

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Red Clay

Prize money: €17,171,108

Match timing: Not befor 4 pm local time, 2 pm GMT, 10 am EST, 7.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | UK - ITV | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Iga Swiatek vs Anett Kontaveit preview

Iga Swiatek raced to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Rebecca Peterson on Thursday to book her spot in the third round of Roland Garros. The Pole now takes on 30th seed Anett Kontaveit, who came through a similarly dominant win over Kristina Mladenovic in her last match.

Swiatek looked to be in complete control of her match on Court Simonne-Mathieu, not allowing Peterson to find any time to get into her rhythm. The defending champion used her powerful groundstrokes to dictate the rallies throughout, and will be keen to carry her momentum forward.

Anett Kontaveit

Kontaveit, meanwhile, also put up a solid display of attacking tennis en route her win over the last Frenchwoman standing in the draw. The Estonian was dialled in on the forehand side and was firing winners with ease.

Kontaveit has had a couple of decent showings in the lead-up to Roland Garros, including a run to the last eight in Stuttgart. Needless to say, she would be feeling confident about her prospects here.

Iga Swiatek vs Anett Kontaveit head-to-head

Anett Kontaveit leads Iga Swiatek in the current head-to-head with a 2-0 margin. Both of their meetings have been closely contested, but the Estonian has managed to come out victorious each time.

Iga Swiatek vs Anett Kontaveit prediction

Iga Swiatek produced a measured performance in her second round match.

Iga Swiatek didn't have the most convincing start to the tournament, being made to fight hard by Slovenia's Kaja Juvan. The defending champion, however, produced a more measured performance in her second-round match, and will likely be feeling much more confident after that dominant win.

Swiatek should expect a big test against Anett Kontaveit on Saturday. The Pole has struggled to find an answer to the Estonian's consistent baseline game in the past, and will need to come up with a different gameplan.

Kontaveit was better known for her strong counterpunching skills during her early years. But she has made huge improvements to her serve and forehand in recent times, while also becoming a lot more aggressive on the court. She now actively seeks opportunities to go for winners, and that makes her a dangerous opponent.

This could well turn into a baseline slugfest, as both women enjoy playing attacking tennis from the back of the court. But it remains to be seen whether Kontaveit can keep up her intensity throughout the duration of the match and prevent Swiatek from taking control.

The Pole herself has made remarkable improvements to her game since the duo's last meeting. Her added variety and mental toughness could, therefore, help her sail through in the end.

Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in two tight sets.

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