Italian Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka vs Dayana Yastremska preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Aryna Sabalenka vs (32) Dayana Yastremska
Date: May 12, 2024
Tournament: Italian Open 2024
Round: Third Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $5,509,771
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+/3
Aryna Sabalenka vs Dayana Yastremska preview
The third round of the 2024 Italian Open will have two big ball-strikers — Aryna Sabalenka and Dayana Yastermska — lock horns in an exciting encounter on Sunday.
Sabalenka, the second seed at this year’s tournament, is fresh off a finals showing at the Madrid Open, where she beat the likes of Elena Rybakina and Danielle Collins before coming up short against Iga Swiatek in a marathon summit clash.
Here in Rome, she battled past Katie Volynets in the opener to improve her season’s win-loss to 21-6.
Yastremska, for one, has failed to capitalize on her quick start to the season. Having made the semifinal at the Australian Open after coming through the qualification rounds, much was expected from her. The Ukrainian, however, has gone 9-8 since and has only two claycourt wins to show for it. In her opener, she was pushed to three sets by Laura Seigemund.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Dayana Yastremska head-to-head
Yastremska leads Sabalenka in their current head-to-head 3-0. That said, the two have not played each other since 2020.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Dayana Yastremska odds
(Odds to be updated)
Aryna Sabalenka vs Dayana Yastremska prediction
Their past record notwithstanding, Aryna Sabalenka will come into the contest as the firm favorite to win.
The Belarusian has improved by leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. Once a hot-and-cold player, she has worked immensely on being more consistent. She, however, remains aggressive-minded and will look to dictate the pace.
Dayana Yastremska also employs a gung-ho game not much different from Sabalenka. She enjoys pace coming at her and it’s part of why she has handled the Belarusian so well in the past.
That said, the Ukrainian also tends to go off-kilter often. While she definitely has the weapons needed to push her opponent, Sabalenka’s improved mental resolve should give her an edge in a tight match.
Pick: Sabalenka to win in three sets