Wimbledon 2023: Petra Kvitova vs Jasmine Paolini preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (9) Petra Kvitova vs Jasmine Paolini

Date: July 4, 2023

Tournament: Wimbledon 2023

Round: First round (Round of 128)

Venue: London, United Kingdom

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Grass

Prize money: £44,700,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | Canada - TSN & RDS | UK - BBC & Eurosport | India - Star Sports

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Petra Kvitova vs Jasmine Paolini preview

For the second year running, two-time former champion Petra Kvitova will open her Wimbledon Championships campaign against Jasmine Paolini on Tuesday, July 4.

In another repeat from last year, Kvitova, seeded ninth, comes into the tournament with a 5-0 record on grass in 2023. The southpaw, who missed most of the claycourt season owing to a foot injury, renewed her love affair with grasscourts — racing to the title in Berlin with wins over the likes of Caroline Garcia and Donna Vekic.

The Czech will look to ride the winning momentum into the Slam where she has had the most success in the past.

Day Two: The Championships - Wimbledon 2022

After a solid 2022 season, Jasmine Paolini has entered a bit of a slump this year. The Italian has not won back-to-back main draw matches since reaching the quarterfinals at Lyon back in February.

And while she has posted a few encouraging results on the WTA, this could prove to be a significant step up. Her 19-16 win-loss record for the year also fails to inspire too much confidence, but the dogged Italian has proven in the past that she is more than capable of springing up a surprise or two on the big stage.

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Petra Kvitova vs Jasmine Paolini head-to-head

Kvitova leads Paolini in their current head-to-head with a 3-0 margin. Their first-round encounter at Wimbledon last year was their most recent meeting, one that the Czech won in three sets.

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Petra Kvitova vs Jasmine Paolini odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (Over & Under)
Jasmine Paolini	+600	+5.5 (+100)	Over 18.5 (-145)
Petra Kvitova	-1100	-5.5 (-140)	Under 18.5 (+100)

(All odds are sourced from BETMGM.)

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Petra Kvitova vs Jasmine Paolini prediction

Petra Kvitova has not made the second week at Wimbledon since 2019.

Petra Kvitova's left-hand serve and flat powerful hitting are iconic at the All England Club. The Czech also holds the distinction of being only one of two active players with multiple Wimbledon trophies. She has, however, underperformed at the venue in recent years.

Her serve, the big weapon on grass, was in fine form in Berlin, consistently winning her over 75 percent of the points. More importantly, it was footwork — which had been severely hampered by the foot injury — that looked nimble and allowed her to set up well for her big shots.

Kvitova has spoken about the pressure of being a former winner and her efforts to put that away when stepping out on the court. Against a tenacious opponent in the form of Jasmine Paolini, the Czech's mental strength will be tested thoroughly.

The Italian does not give away anything for free. She will look to extend rallies and frustrate Kvitova into overpressing. However, if Kvitova can serve well and stay patient, she should be able to breeze through. A solid win here would also calm some of early round jitters and help the Czech feel more relaxed as looks ahead.

Prediction: Petra Kvitova to win in straight sets.