Indian Wells 2022: Maria Sakkari vs Daria Saville preview, head-to-head and prediction | BNP Paribas Open
Match Details
Fixture: (6) Maria Sakkari vs Daria Saville
Date: 15 March 2022
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)
Venue: Indian Wells, California
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $8,369,455
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Maria Sakkari vs Daria Saville preview
Sixth seed Maria Sakkari will take on Daria Saville in the fourth round of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday. While Sakkari eased past Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-0, Saville outlasted Elise Mertens 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to make the Round of 16.
With a win-loss record of 13-4 so far in 2022, Sakkari is amongst the strongest forces on tour at the moment. The Greek reached her first final of the year last month in St. Petersburg before making the last four at the WTA 1000 event in Doha.
At Indian Wells, Sakkari has notched up straightforward wins over Katerina Siniakova and Petra Kvitova. The 26-year-old is now bidding to make it to her maiden quarterfinal in the Californian city.
She also has a chance at rising as high as No. 2 in the WTA rankings provided she goes on to lift the title at Indian Wells.
Daria Saville, meanwhile, is expected to play a full schedule this season after surgery on her achilles sidelined her for most of last year. The former World No. 20 has made plenty of noise on her return to the tour, as was evidenced by her victory over reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu in Guadalajara last month.
The Aussie then stormed through qualifying at Indian Wells and upset a couple of seeds in Ons Jabeur and Elise Mertens to make the fourth round for the first time. Currently ranked No. 409, Daria Saville can crack the top 200 with a win over Sakkari on Tuesday.
Maria Sakkari vs Daria Saville head-to-head
The sole meeting between Maria Sakkari and Daria Saville took place at the 2016 San Antonio Open, where the latter prevailed in three sets. Saville, therefore, leads the head-to-head 1-0.
Maria Sakkari vs Daria Saville prediction
Sakkari's superior ranking makes her the favorite, although Daria Saville is brimming with confidence from her winning run, which began in the qualifying rounds.
Sakkari will rely on her heavy groundstrokes to take time away from Saville, who possesses impressive rally tolerance and defense.
The serve could prove to be a significant differentiating factor in the match. The Greek was immaculate on serve in her previous two matches and produced aces at will. The Aussie, on her part, has been troubled by untimely double faults over the past week, particularly in the match against Elise Mertens where she committed 10.
If Sakkari can play to her strengths and stay assertive during the longer exchanges, she should be able to eke out a win.
Prediction: Sakkari to win in three sets.