French Open 2023: Jessica Pegula vs Elise Mertens preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Roland Garros
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Jessica Pegula vs (28) Elise Mertens
Tournament: French Open 2023
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €49,600,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel, NBC Sports, Peacock TV | Canada - TSN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Ten
Jessica Pegula vs Elise Mertens preview
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula prepares to clash with the 28th seed Elise Mertens in the third round of the 2023 French Open in what promises to be a fierce encoutner.
Pegula had a strong lead-in to Roland Garros, with notable performances on the clay courts. With Giorgi bowing out after the initial set (6-2) in their second-round encounter in Paris, Pegula was able to wrap up the match in just 34 minutes, ensuring she remained well-rested for her subsequent games.
Prior to that, she reached the semifinals in Charleston, where she was edged out by Belinda Bencic in a closely contested match. Her European clay campaign included a quarterfinals appearance at the Madrid Open, where she fell to Veronika Kudermetova in a hard-fought three-setter.
The American, however, faced an unexpected setback at the Italian Open, with a Round of 64 defeat to Taylor Townsend.
On the other side of the net, Belgium's Elise Mertens enters the match with a quieter season. In her most recent match against Camila Osorio in the second round of the French Open, Elise Mertens achieved a convincing victory in straight sets with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6(3).
During this successful outing, Mertens secured 62% of her first service points and 45% of her second service points. Overall, she captured 53% of the points served during the match and successfully exploited seven out of her 12 opportunities to break serve. Mertens also landed 47% of her first serves and recorded two aces.
For the first time since her stint in Miami, Mertens is on the cusp of claiming victory in three consecutive matches. Since 2020, she's looking to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the eighth time.
With respect to her performance in the French Open's third-round matches, her career record stands at two wins and four losses. When it comes to her recent form on clay courts, Mertens has a balanced record, with four wins and four losses in her last eight matches.
Jessica Pegula vs Elise Mertens head-to-head
Elise Mertens holds a 2-0 lead over Jessica Pegula in their past encounters. They last met at the 2021 Dubai Open, where Mertens triumphed in a tightly contested match with a score of 5-7, 7-5, 6-0. Their first meeting occurred at the 2020 Western & Southern Open, which Mertens also won, 6-1, 6-3.
Jessica Pegula vs Elise Mertens odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Jessica Pegula vs Elise Mertens prediction
Jessica Pegula and Elise Mertens both come into their third-round match at the French Open 2023 with notable claycourt experience. Pegula, a former French Open quarterfinalist, has had an impressive lead-up to the tournament.
In their previous encounter at the 2021 Dubai Open, Mertens, who has reached as far as the fourth round at the French Open, edged out Pegula in a grueling three-setter. This year, however, Mertens' form has seen fluctuations, casting some doubt over her current performance level.
Pegula's solid serve and potent ground strokes, coupled with her consistent season, tilt the balance in her favor for this encounter. Considering Mertens' recent form as well, the World No. 3 could be the slight favorite here to reach the second week at Roland Garros.
Pick: Jessica Pegula to win in three sets