Madrid Open 2022: Naomi Osaka vs Anastasia Potapova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: (WC) Naomi Osaka vs (Q) Anastasia Potapova.
Date: 29 April 2022.
Tournament: Madrid Open 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 64).
Venue: Madrid, Spain.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Clay.
Prize money: $6,575,560.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Naomi Osaka vs Anastasia Potapova preview
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will take on qualifier Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the 2022 Madrid Open on Friday.
Osaka will be competing in her first claycourt tournament of the season in Madrid. She failed to defend her Australian Open title, losing to Amanda Anisimova in the third round despite having match points. Her short-lived campaign at Indian Wells was marred by a heckling incident.
But the former World No. 1 rediscovered some of her old form by reaching the final of the Miami Open, recording her best result of the year so far. Osaka lost to Iga Swiatek in the title clash.
Her clay season last year was marked by early defeats leading up to the French Open. She later withdrew from Roland Garros due to mental health reasons. The 24-year-old seems to be in a much better headspace this time around and has been practicing hard to succeed on the surface.
More smiles to start the day ☺️
@naomiosaka | #MMOPEN https://t.co/T3tBgqVOyk
Anastasia Potapova, meanwhile, commenced her clay season at the Istanbul Cup. She made it to the main draw after winning two qualifying matches.
The champion 
🏆The champion 🎾
Starting from the qualifying draw, Anastasia Potapova's excellent run in Istanbul leads her to her maiden title!
Thanks to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Veronika Kudermetova, Potapova is your newest champion!
#tennischampistanbul https://t.co/z5R5TSjF1r
Potapova made it all the way to the final, where she took on Veronika Kudermetova. She defeated her compatriot 6-3, 6-1 to win her maiden career title.
She has carried that form to the Madrid Open, where she defeated Daria Saville and Kristina Mladenovic in the qualifying rounds to progress to the main draw.
Naomi Osaka vs Anastasia Potapova head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Naomi Osaka vs Anastasia Potapova odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Naomi Osaka vs Anastasia Potapova prediction
Potapova will be feeling fairly confident of her chances against Osaka. The Japanese isn't a powerhouse on clay by any means. The Russian, on the other hand, is on a nine-match winning streak, including main draw and qualifying contests.
Osaka's best result in Madrid was a quarter-final showing in 2019. The conditions in Madrid suit her game more than other clay tournaments. She's also worked on her movement, which will be the key to her success. If she's able to time her shots and engage in longer rallies, she won't be in too much trouble.
Potapova's strategy will be to move the former World No. 1 around the court and see if she's able to slide well on the red dirt. The Russian has the weapons to trouble Osaka, but she might need to rein in some of her power to be truly effective.
This promises to be a thrilling contest and Osaka's experience might just be the deciding factor at the end.
Pick: Naomi Osaka to win in three sets.
Also Check Out :- Madrid Open 2022 Results