Bad Homburg Open 2023: Leylah Fernandez vs Alycia Parks preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Leylah Fernandez vs Alycia Parks.
Tournament: Bad Homburg Open 2023.
Round: First round (Round of 32).
Venue: Bad Homburg, Germany.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: $259,303.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Leylah Fernandez vs Alycia Parks preview
2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez will square off against World No. 51 Alycia Parks in the first round of the 2023 Bad Homburg Open.
Fernandez's results in singles haven't been too good this season, with a lone quarterfinal at the ASB Classic in January being her best result. She failed to make it past the second round at both Majors this year. However, she has thrived in doubles, with her parternship with Taylor Townsend working beautifully.
Fernandez reached two prominent finals alongside Townsend. The first was at the Miami Open, where they lost to Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. The duo reached the final of the French Open a couple of weeks ago as well, but fell to Hsieh Su-wei and Wang Xinyu in three sets.
Parks shot up the rankings this season and even captured her maiden WTA title at the Lyon Open by defeating Caroline Garcia in the final. Her other notable result include a third-round showing at the Madrid Open, where she ousted former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka in the second round.
Parks's grass swing kicked off in Nottingham, where she lost to Zhu Lin in the first round. Her fortunes didn't improve the following week in Birmingham, falling at the first hurdle yet again. However, she did make it to the semifinals in doubles and could go further if she wins her match on Saturday.
Leylah Fernandez vs Alycia Parks head-to-head
They've never faced off on the WTA tour prior to this, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Leylah Fernandez vs Alycia Parks odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Leylah Fernandez vs Alycia Parks prediction
Aside from a couple of notable results, Parks hasn't set the tour on fire. So far she has only managed to find considerable success on indoor hardcourts and fast surfaces. Fernandez, too, has struggled a fair bit in singles.
On paper, Parks' big serve should give her a considerable edge on grass. However, she's not able to rein in her power at all, going for too much even on her second serve. As a result, she has hit a total of 34 double faults in her last two losses.
Fernandez's trademark fighting spirit is still present, but she's finding out the hard way that it's not the only thing required to win a match. The young Canadian's more consistent in her shotmaking compared to Parks, which could give her a slight edge in this encounter.
If Parks is able to play with some controlled aggression, she could end up getting the upper hand. But if the American continues to play with reckless abandon, Fernandez is likely to walk away as the victor.
Pick: Leylah Fernandez to win in three sets.