Guadalajara Open 2022: Jessica Pegula vs Bianca Andreescu preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Jessica Pegula vs (PR) Bianca Andreescu.
Date: October 20, 2022.
Tournament: Guadalajara Open 2022.
Round: Third round (Round of 16).
Venue: Panamerican Tennis Center, Guadalajara, Mexico.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Hardcourt.
Prize money: $2,527,250.
Match timing: Approx. 12:30 pm local time, 5:30 pm GMT, 1:30 pm ET and 11 pm IST.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK – Amazon Prime Video.
Jessica Pegula vs Bianca Andreescu preview
World No. 5 Jessica Pegula will square off against 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the third round of the 2022 Guadalajara Open on Thursday.
Following a first-round bye, Pegula took on reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. The American was off to a slow start as she fell behind 4-0. She was unable to make up for this deficit and lost the opening set.
Rybakina broke her opponent's serve to start the second set, but Pegula didn't let gain a huge lead this time and fought back to make it 1-1. The American snagged a break in the sixth game to go 4-2 up. This sealed the set in her favor and she soon served it out with ease to take the match to a decider.
Pegula led 2-0 in the third set, but Rybakina managed to get back on serve down the line. The set eventually went into a tie-break, with the current Wimbledon champion having three match points. However, the American displayed nerves of steel and turned the tables on her opponent to win 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8).
Bianca Andreescu defeated Jil Teichmann 6-2, 6-4 in the first round to set up a second-round date with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. The two started off strong, but a lenghty tussle in the fourth game of the opening set gave the Czech a break to lead 3-1.
Andreescu broke back to make it 3-2, but Kvitova gained the upper hand once again to go 4-2 up. The Czech held on to the lead until the end to clinch the set. The former US Open champion jumped to a 5-1 lead in the second set, but stumbled while trying to serve it out as she lost serve.
Nevertheless, Andreescu broke Kvitova's serve once again to take the set. The deciding set was quite one-sided, with the Canadian reeling off six games on the trot to win the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
Jessica Pegula vs Bianca Andreescu head-to-head
Pegula leads Andreescu 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Madrid Open in straight sets.
Jessica Pegula vs Bianca Andreescu odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Jessica Pegula vs Bianca Andreesu prediction
Pegula had to dig deep to overcome Rybakina in the previous round. Andreescu was pushed to three sets by Kvitova in the second round as well, but got better and better as the match progressed.
Andreescu's top-spin shots on a high bouncing surface here might put Pegula on the defensive. However, the Canadian is known to be involved in three-set battles quite often. Sometimes she has to stage a comeback, and on other occasions she lets go of a lead before managing to regroup.
Their previous encounter took place earlier this year, with Pegula coming out on top. The first set was competitive, but the second was quite one-sided. The American has been very consistent in her shotmaking and results this season and should have enough left in the tank to take out Andreescu.
Pick: Jessica Pegula to win in three sets.