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Match Details
Fixture: (14) Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic
Date: 8 October, 2024
Tournament: 2024 Wuhan Open
Round: First-Round (Round of 64)
Venue: Optics Valley International Tennis Center, Wuhan, Hubei, China
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hardcourt (Outdoor)
Prize Money: $3,221,715
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic preview
14th seed Paula Badosa is slated to open her 2024 Wuhan Open campaign against World No. 107 Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round on Tuesday, October 8.
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Badosa had a slow start to the year, returning to action in January after a six-month break due to a chronic back injury. Her success was limited, with third-round finishes in Melbourne and Paris and a fourth-round showing in Rome.
Her fortunes improved during the grass-court swing, where she reached the quarterfinals in Bad Homburg and advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon. Badosa then claimed her first title since Sydney 2022, winning in Washington against Marie Bouzkova.
Badosa followed that up with a semifinal run in Cincinnati and a quarterfinal finish at the US Open. She most recently shone at the China Open, reaching the semifinals before being eliminated by eventual champion Coco Gauff.
Ajla Tomljanovic, on the other hand, began her season with a second-round exit in Melbourne, falling to Jelena Ostapenko. Her next notable result came in Birmingham, where she reached the final before losing to Yulia Putinseva.
During the North American hardcourt swing, Tomljanovic managed just one win from four matches, with her best showing being a second-round appearance at the US Open, where she was defeated by Elise Mertens.
Tomljanovic found success at the Hong Kong Challenger last week, capturing her first title of the season. She defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse, McCartney Kessler, and Anna Blinkova en route to the final, where she came from a set down to beat Clara Tauson 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a hard-fought victory.
Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic head-to-head
Paula Badosa marginally leads Ajla Tomljanovic 2-1 in their head-to-head. Tomljanovic, however, won their previous encounter 6-7 (3), 6-0, 6-2 at the 2022 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic prediction
Paula Badosa enters this match with a 34-16 record on tour, showing strong form since the start of the North American hardcourt swing. With 17 wins in her last 22 matches and a title to her name, she has been edging closer to her best. She looked set for another final in China last week but ran out of steam towards the end of her semifinal encounter despite taking the first set.
In contrast, Ajla Tomljanovic holds a 19-15 match record so far this season. Her struggles have been apparent with the scarcity of matches this season. Her hardcourt form has also been a huge concern. She did, however, surprise many with her title-winning run at the Hong Kong Challenger last week, grinding through three tough three-set matches and prevailing in the key moments.
Both players come into this contest with good momentum, but Badosa holds the edge thanks to her stronger season overall, especially in the last couple of months. Her dominance on hard courts this year further tilts the odds in her favor.
Pick: Badosa in straight sets.
