Cincinnati 2023: Ons Jabeur vs Anhelina Kalinina preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick | Western & Southern Open
Match details
Fixture: (5) Ons Jabeur vs Anhelina Kalinina
Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2023
Date: August 15, 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 32)
Venue: Cincinnati, US
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $2,788,468
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Ons Jabeur vs Anhelina Kalinina preview
Thee-time Major finalist Ons Jabeur will face off against Anhelina Kalinina in the second round of the 2023 Western & Southern Open on Tuesday.
Jabeur has been injured quite often this season, but when healthy, she has competed really well. Following a second round exit from the Australian Open, she took a couple of months off to recover from a health issue. The Tunisian's return at Indian Wells and Miami resulted in early exits.
Jabeur found her footing at the start of the clay season and finished as the runner-up in Charleston. She reached the semifinals in Stuttgart the following week but picked up an injury that forced her to retire from the match. It also caused her to forego her title defense in Madrid.
Jabeur still managed to make the last eight at the French Open after that. She then reached the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row but suffered another heartbreak as she lost to Marketa Vondrousova. She missed competing in Montreal due to an injury and received a first-round bye in Cincinnati.
Kalinina faced Zhu Lin in her opener here. She jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first set and never looked back after that, as she claimed the first set with ease. The Ukrainian let go of a 4-1 headstart in the second set but regrouped in time to win the match 6-3, 7-5.
Ons Jabeur vs Anhelina Kalinina head-to-head
Jabeur leads Kalinina 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Charleston Open in straight sets.
Ons Jabeur vs Anhelina Kalinina odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Ons Jabeur vs Anhelina Kalinina prediction
Kalinina snapped her three-match losing streak with her dismissal of Lin in the first round. While she won 78% of her first serve points, she also threw in five double faults. The Ukrainian also let go of a healthy lead in the second set and might not be able to recover if she does the same in the next round.
Jabeur will be starting from scratch yet again after another injury hiatus. Despite her momentum being stalled every few weeks, she has risen to the occasion every time. With the US Open around the corner, she'll be eyeing a deep run here for some much-needed match prep.
Jabeur handled Kalinina with ease the last time they met. The Tunisian's crafty brand of tennis flummoxed her opponent. She's equally adept at playing strongly from the back of the court. The World No. 5 could be off to a slow start since it's her first match on hardcourts in months, but she should be able to come out on top in the end.
Pick: Ons Jabeur to win in straight sets.