Italian Open 2024: Sofia Kenin vs Rebecca Sramkova preview, head-to-head, prediction, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Sofia Kenin vs Rebecca Sramkova
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
Sofia Kenin vs Rebecca Sramkova preview
Sofia Kenin will take on Rebeka Sramkova in a surprise third-round encounter at the 2024 Italian Open on Sunday.
Kenin registered a big upset in her last match, ousting Ons Jabeur in a three-set battle 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 to post her first top-10 win of the season. The victory was particularly significant given that she had not won any main draw matches at Tour-level claycourt events coming into the tournament.
It would have given the former Grand Slam champion some much-needed confidence.
Having won two matches in the qualification rounds, Sramkova now finds herself in the middle of her best run at a WTA 1000 event.
The Slovak beat Georgia Pedone in her opening-round encounter before posting one of the biggest wins of her career against the 26th seed Katie Boulter. Needless to say, she will running high on confidence, much like her next opponent.
Sofia Kenin vs Rebecca Sramkova head-to-head
The two have never crossed paths so their head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Sofia Kenin vs Rebecca Sramkova odds
(Odds to be updated)
Sofia Kenin vs Rebecca Sramkova prediction
Sofia Kenin has had her fair share of struggles since winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
The American does post an awe-inspiring win every now and then only to disappear from the results sheet again. She ousted the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff at this very venue and Wimbledon respectively, but could not build on the runs.
Her win over Jabeur presents an opportunity to fix that, but the dogged Rebecca Sramkova will not make things easy for her.
The Slovak plays a solid couterpunching brand of tennis and does not give anything away for free. Kenin, for one, has struggled against such opponents.
The American is not the best equipped at generating her own pace on every ball and will her opponent giving her nothing, she tends to get frustrated and lose her bearings.
Sramkova’s return numbers have been impressive this week as she has won over 60% points on the second serve return. Against someone like Kenin, who does not have a big serve, she will be sensing another opportunity. If she can play with some measured aggression, she could well be on her way to another upset.
Prediction: Sramkova to win in three sets