Italian Open 2022: Naomi Osaka vs Sara Sorribes Tormo preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: Naomi Osaka vs Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Tournament: Italian Open 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 64).
Venue: Rome, Italy.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Clay.
Prize money: $2,527,250.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Naomi Osaka vs Sara Sorribes Tormo preview
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will lock horns with World No. 47 Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first round of the 2022 Italian Open.
Osaka approached the clay season with a much more positive outlook this time. Her first tournament on the surface was the Madrid Open. She started off with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 win over Anastasia Potapova, who had won the Istanbul Cup before competing in Madrid.
Osaka was up against Sorribes Tormo in the second round, and the Spaniard had no difficulty getting past her. winning 6-3, 6-1 against the former World No. 1. The 24-year-old reached the quarterfinals in 2019 at the event and had to withdraw from her match due to a right hand injury.
One time for the fit, one time for the match. https://t.co/6lC2nwb1qq
Sara Sorribes Tormo has had a good run during the clay season so far. She reached the quarterfinals of the Istanbul Cup in singles and won the title in doubles.
Sorribes Tormo's results in front of her home crowd at the Madrid Open so far were disappointing, as she failed to get past the second round in previous editions of the tournament. However, she defeated 2021 Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round and followed it up with a win over Osaka afterwards.
Sara Sorribes Tormo joins Paula Badosa, Anabel Medina Garrigues, & Carla Suarez Navarro as the only Spanish women to advance to the #MMOPEN QFs.
Having never made it past 2R in her previous 9 tries in Madrid, d. Pavlyuchenkova, Osaka, & Kasatkina to make her 2nd WTA 1000 QF. https://t.co/EjZty1oHid
Sorribes Tormo defeated Daria Kasatkina in three sets to advance to her third quarterfinal at the WTA 1000 level and her first in Madrid. She lost to Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-2 in their last eight clash.
Naomi Osaka vs Sara Sorribes Tormo head-to-head
The two have faced off four times before, with the head-to-head being tied at 2-2. Sorribes Tormo won their most recent encounter at last week's Madrid Open in straight sets.
Naomi Osaka vs Sara Sorribes Tormo odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Naomi Osaka vs Sara Sorribes Tormo prediction
Osaka was hindered by a left calf injury when she played against Sorribes Tormo in Madrid. She appears to be healthy at the moment, so perhaps the outcome could be different this time.
Sorribes Tormo won their previous two encounters in straight sets, which were on clay as well. The Spaniard's game is suited to the surface and she's a gifted counterpuncher with excellent stamina. She ensures she gets the ball across the court whichever way possible - moonballs, dropshots or slices, which can frustrate aggressive players like Osaka.
In their previous match, Osaka didn't switch up her tactics and simply relied on her hard-hitting groundstrokes to bail her out of trouble, which did not work as Sorribes Tormo made her pay the price. Her serve is much better compared to the Spaniard's, but on the relatively slower courts of Rome, that advantage could be negated as well.
Osaka will need to be more patient and try to adapt to the demands of the surface in a much better way. She won't be able to make this transition in a hurry, so Sorribes Tormo is likely to emerge as the winner once again.
Pick: Sara Sorribes Tormo to win in straight sets.