Bad Homburg Open 2022: Amanda Anisimova vs Alison Van Uytvanck preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (6) Amanda Anisimova vs Alison Van Uytvanck.
Tournament: Bad Homburg Open 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 32).
Venue: Bad Homburg, Germany.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: $251,750.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Amanda Anisimova vs Alison Van Uytvanck preview
Amanda Anisimova and Alison Van Uytvanck are set to square off in the first round of the 2022 Bad Homburg Open.
Anisimova had a successful clay season that culminated in a fourth-round showing at the French Open. She defeated four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets in the first round. The American then won against Donna Vekic in the second round.
Anisimova led Karolina Muchova in the third set in her third-round fixture before the Czech was unfortunately forced to retire due to an injury. She was up against 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the fourth round. It was a closely fought battle, with Anisimova ultimately going down in three sets.
While most of her contemporaries have already gotten a headstart on their grass season, the American will begin her campaign at the Bad Homburg Open.
Alison Van Uytvanck kicked off her grass season by winning the Surbiton Trophy, an ITF level tournament. She then competed at the Libema Open.
Sublime ✅
Superb ✅
Sensational ✅
Take a bow, @AlisonVanU 👏
#LibemaOpen https://t.co/7fVPlX9fsR
Van Uytvanck defeated Tamara Korpatsch and Elise Mertens in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals. She then lost a tight three-set match against top seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Instead of competing in one of the two WTA events taking place this week, the Belgian opted to drop down a level and participate in the WTA 125k tournament in Gaiba, Italy.
Van Uytvanck scored wins over Cristiana Ferrando, Ysaline Bonaventure and Ylena In-Albon to reach the semifinals. She'll take on Harmony Tan for a place in the final on Saturday (June 18).
Amanda Anisimova vs Alison Van Uytvanck head-to-head
Anisimova leads Van Uytvanck 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their only encounter so far in three sets at the Melbourne Summer Set earlier this year.
Amanda Anisimova vs Alison Van Uytvanck odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Amanda Anisimova vs Alison Van Uytvanck prediction
Anisimova will be playing her first match on grass in almost a year, so if she's off to a slow start, she could be in trouble down the line. Van Uytvanck, on the other hand, has already played plenty of matches on the surface this year. She even gave World No. 5 Sabalenka a tough fight at the Libema Open last week.
Van Uytvanck notably scored one of the most memorable wins of her career on grass a few years ago. The Belgian knocked out defending champion Garbine Muguruza in the second round of Wimbledon back in 2018. At her best, she's more than capable of causing an upset once again.
Anisimova was a quarterfinalist in Bad Hormburg last year, losing to eventual champion Angelique Kerber in three sets. She is a capable server and does equally well on return, allowing her to remain in contention throughout matches. The American will look to dictate proceedings with her powerful groundstrokes.
Van Uytvanck, to her credit, isn't a hard hitter like her opponent. She'll have to make sure Anisimova doesn't end up taking control of the rallies and try to frequently disrupt her rhythm with slices and drop shots. The Belgian has played quite well over the last few weeks, but her success at the WTA level has been limited.
If Anisimova is able to find her footing early into the match, she's likely to run away with it. Otherwise, given the American's lack of match play on grass, Van Uytvanck just might end up causing an upset.
Overall, this match has the makings of a contest that could go down to the wire.
Pick: Amanda Anisimova to win in three sets.