French Open 2023: Magda Linette vs Leylah Fernandez preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Roland Garros
Match Details
Fixture: (21) Madga Linette vs Leylah Fernandez
Tournament: French Open 2023
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Date: 28 May 2023
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €49,600,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel, NBC Sports, Peacock TV | Canada - TSN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Ten
Magda Linette vs Leylah Fernandez preview
World No. 21 Madga Linette will face former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the first round of the 2023 French Open on Sunday.
Magda Linette registered her best performance in a Grand Slam at the 2023 Australian Open, where she reached the semifinal (lost to Aryna Sabalenka) and broke into the top 25 of women's singles ranking. However, apart from the Australian Open, the 31-year-old Pole has not registered any notable results on the WTA Tour this year.
Linette started her clay season at the Charleston Open, where she lost to Madison Keys in the Round of 16. She then endured third-round exits at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open. Linette next played at the Strasbourg Open as the top seed. However, her run was cut short by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the Round of 16, who comfortably won the match 6-3, 6-2.
At the French Open 2022, Linette stunned an in-form Ons Jabeur in the first round before exiting the competition in her next match against eventual semifinalist Martina Trevisan.
Leylah Fernandez is defending quarterfinal points at the French Open 2023. However, it will be a daunting task given her underwhelming form on the clay this season. She has won only two matches in four clay tournaments on the 2023 WTA tour. Fernandez will enter the French Open on the back of a second round defeat at the Morocco Open against Peyton Stearns.
The 20-year-old Fernandez stunned the likes of Belinda Bencic and Amanda Anisimova at last year's Roland Garros to enter the quarterfinal, where she was defeated by Martina Trevisan in three sets. This result was Fernandez's best Slam performance since reaching the 2021 US Open final.
Magda Linette vs Leylah Fernandez head-to-head
The two players have faced each other twice on the WTA Tour, with both winning one match each. Fernandez won their first encounter at the 2020 French Open. Linette equaled the head-to-head at the 2022 Charleston Open.
Madga Linette vs Leylah Fernandez odds
(Odds will be updated when available)
Magda Linette vs Leylah Fernandez prediction
Linette will enter the French Open 2023 low on confidence after underwhelming performances on clay this season. However, the Pole will be free to play her natural game as she is not defending many points at the tournament after a second-round exit last year.
All the pressure will be on Fernandez, though, who will suffer a significant ranking loss if she bows out early in Paris. This match will be a battle of aggressive forehands as both players are good baseliners.
Their last match against each other, at the Charleston Open 2022, went the distance, with Linette emerging victorious, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. A gritty Fernandez should eke out a win on Sunday, however, fans should expect a topsy-turvy clash.
Pick: Fernandez to win in three sets.