Sydney Tennis Classic 2022: Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus

Date: 10 January 2022

Tournament: Sydeny Tennis Classic 2022

Round: First round (Round of 32)

Venue: Sydney, Australia

Category: WTA 500

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Prize money: $703,580

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus preview

Petra Kvitova will begin her 2022 Sydney Tennis Classic campaign with a first-round encounter against Arantxa Rus on Monday.

Kvitova, who lifted the trophy at the tournament's last edition in 2019, will be looking to pick up where she left off three years ago. The Czech suffered a tight three-set loss in her first match of the year and will be looking to turn over a new leaf in Sydney.

Arantca Rus at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz.

Rus will also be eyeing a winning start to her season. The Dutchwoman last played a WTA tournament at the Tenerfife Open, where she reached the quarterfinals.

Rus ended her 2021 season ranked 64 in the world, and could ask a few questions of Kvitova.

Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus head-to-head

Petra Kvitova leads Arantxa Rus 1-0 in their current head-to-head. The Czech had defeated her opponent in their only encounter so far at last year's BNP Paribas Open, winning 6-2, 6-2.

Petra Kvitova vs Arantxa Rus prediction

Kvitova will be eyeing for her first win of the season.

Given the gulf between ranking and level of experience, Petra Kvitova will enter this contest as a firm favorite. The Czech, however, still needs to be weary of the dogged Arantxa Rus.

The Dutchwoman is best known for her clay court skills, but does possess a big serve and solid groundstrokes that work well on quicker hardcourts as well.

Kvitova buckled in the face of consistent baseline hitting against Priscilla Hon in her first match in Adelaide. For Rus, therefore, the key will be to defend her own serve, as that would put pressure back on her opponent.

The former champion, however, has a splendid record playing fellow southpaws. Kvitova also had very little trouble finding a way past Rus in Indian Wells and will step in with an aggressive mindset.

If the Czech can maintain her level on serve and keep her unforced error count in check, she will be able to emerge victorious.

Prediction: Petra Kvitova to win in two close sets