Australian Open 2023: Petra Kvitova vs Anhelina Kalinina preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: (15) Petra Kvitova vs Anhelina Kalinina.
Date: 18 January, 2023.
Tournament: Australian Open 2023.
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: A$76,500,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Ten & Sony Liv
Petra Kvitova vs Anhelina Kalinina preview
Petra Kvitova will lock horns with Anhelina Kalinina, one of 2022's breakout players, in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open on Wednesday.
Kvitova, the 15th seed at this year's tournament, beat Alison Van Uytvanck, 7-6(3), 6-2, in her Melbourne opener. The southpaw went from strength to strength, never facing a break point despite making four double faults in the match.
A former finalist at the season-opening Grand Slam, Kvitova will be eyeing another big run at Melbourne Park this year.
Kalinina, meanwhile, progressed to the second round by beating CoCo Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-1. She's had an impressive start to 2023 and her only losses have come against quality opponents in the form of Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Sofia Kenin.
The Ukrainian was scheduled to take on Kvitova at the US Open last year but had to withdraw from the contest due to illness. She will, however, have the opportunity to test her mettle against the big-hitting Czech on Wednesday.
Petra Kvitova vs Anhelina Kalinina head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between Petra Kvitova and Anhelina Kalinina, so their current head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Petra Kvitova vs Anhelina Kalinina odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Petra Kvitova vs Anhelina Kalinina prediction
Kvitova will want to build on her solid start at the Australian Open when she takes on Anhelina Kalinina. The Ukrainian, after struggling for good results at the back end of last year, returned to competing on the 125K and ITF circuit.
The shift seems to have done her a world of good, as she already has a quarterfinal appearance within the first two weeks of 2023. Her back-to-back wins over Tatjana Maria and Rebecca Marino would have come as a huge confidence boost for the Ukrainian and it will be interesting to see how she holds up against Kvitova's power-hitting.
Kvitova's lefty serve and flat groundstrokes are a big asset for her. When dialed in, the southpaw can hit her opponents off the court, and she will step out looking to be the aggressor in the contest.
She did well to hold her composure against Van Uytvanck, edging the opening set after a tiebreaker. With the first set in her pocket, however, she looked much more relaxed on the court, and it was reflected in her shot-making, the quality of which improved significantly.
Kalinina needs to a take a cue from the same. Unless the Ukrainian can keep Kvitova from settling into the match, she risks being outhit from the baseline.
Prediction: Petra Kvitova to win in straight sets