Roland Garros: Angelique Kerber vs Kaja Juvan preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020

Match details

Fixture: Angelique Kerber vs Kaja Juvan

Date: 28 September 2020

Tournament: Roland Garros 2020

Round: First round (Round of 128)

Venue: Paris, France

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000

Match timing: Approx. 2 pm CEST, 5.30 pm IST

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

Angelique Kerber vs Kaja Juvan preview

While there are some players who start their career with a lot of hype and attention, there are others who rise up the ranks and turn into champions without much of the initial hype.

Angelique Kerber's big breakthrough came at the age of 23, when she reached the semifinals of the 2011 US Open. Since then, the German has won 3 of the four Slams (the French Open is the only one missing from her collection), become the World No. 1 and won the silver medal at the Olympics (in 2016).

The German is now ranked No. 22 in the world, and is on her way back after the leg injury she suffered at the Australian Open followed by the tour suspension. She managed to reach the fourth round of the US Open in her first event since January, losing to an in-form Jennifer Brady.

Kerber is also back to working with former coach Torben Beltz, who has guided her to some of her best results.

Angelique Kerber has reached the quarter-finals of the French Open on two occasions in her career so far

Kerber's opponent in the first round in Paris will be the 19-year-old Kaja Juvan. Juvan is a former World No. 5 in the juniors, and she won the Orange Bowl in 2016 as well as the Wimbledon junior doubles title.

The Slovenian is ranked No. 103 in the world and is looking to break into the Top 100 for the first time. Juvan has won 8 of her 13 matches since the tour resumed, and will surely be match-tough heading into this contest.

Kaja Juvan: “I took 2.5 months off for school [last year]. It was pretty weird b/c I took it after Wimbledon, so I had the best tourney of my life and then I had to take a break. But I finished. Education is very important to me. Now I’m doing the online WTA University @iueast." pic.twitter.com/L5uEcw6gT2

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 6, 2020

Angelique Kerber vs Kaja Juvan head-to-head

This is the first match between the two players, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Angelique Kerber vs Kaja Juvan prediction

Kaja Juvan at the Palermo Ladies Open in August

Most tennis fans are familiar with Angelique Kerber's game. The German is not one of the power-hitters on the women's tour, but prefers working around a point and counterpunching before unleashing her dangerous forehand.

Kerber also likes to use the pace of her opponent, but may find that difficult in Paris due to the weather conditions this time. Moreover, she won't be helped by the fact that Juvan plays an aggressive yet consistent brand of tennis.

A shot so good, even Serena Williams had to clap...Angelique Kerber takes out @HSBC Play of the Day.#Wimbledonhttps://t.co/hsBZnAu0ui

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2016

But while she has not played as many matches in recent weeks as Juvan has, Kerber still has big-match experience on her side. That, coupled with the fact that this is the only Slam missing from her collection, will likely motivate her to go deep in the draw.

Prediction: Angelique Kerber in straight sets.