French Open 2023: Petra Kvitova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick | Roland Garros
Match Details
Fixture: (10) Petra Kvitova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Tournament: French Open 2023
Round: First round (Round of 128)
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
Petra Kvitova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto preview
Petra Kvitova will open her 2023 French Open campaign with a first-round encounter against Elisabetta Cocchiaretto on Sunday, May 28.
Kvitova, the 10th seed at this year's tournament, comes into the tournament with virtually no match practice on the red dirt. The Czech, who staged a surprise run in Miami en route to a stellar 30th Tour-level title, has been sidelined for the past few weeks due to a foot injury.
Having lost the only match she played on clay to Jule Neimeier in Madrid, Kvitova will be keen to bounce back. Luckily for her, she did look close to her vintage best during the Sunshine Double — where she also made the Indian Wells quarterfinal besides winning in Miami.
Cocciaretto, meanwhile, also started the season on a solid note — reaching the summit clash in Hobart. Her results since have been mixed, but she did play a few good matches on clay including a tight three-set loss to Paula Badosa.
A strong clay courter, Cocciaretto proved her mettle in San Luis by lifting her second WTA 125K title. A six-time winner of ITF, on her favorite clay each time, she could well ask a few questions of Kvitova.
Petra Kvitova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto head-to-head
Petra Kvitova and Elisabetta Cocciaretto have never crossed paths on tour before, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Petra Kvitova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Petra Kvitova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto prediction
This first-round matchup will pit Kvitova's power against Cocciaretto's defensive prowess and retrieving abilities.
Cocciaretto gave a glimpse of her abilities as a classic counterpuncher in her match against Paula Badosa in Madrid. The Italian has the ability to hang around in rallies long enough to frustrate her opponents into overpressing — a strategy that can work wonders against a sometimes-mercurial Kvitova.
A lot will depend on the Czech's fitness level, especially given the injury scare. Footwork is key to Kvitova setting up her big shots and she will need to be at her sharpest in the department.
Cocciarreto will look to test the waters early and exploit any gaps in her opponent's movement. But if fully fit, Kvitova could use this match-up to slowly discover the range on her serve and groundstrokes. If she manages that, there's only so many that the Italian can put back in court.
Prediction: Kvitova to win in two tight sets.