Miami Open 2022: Paula Badosa vs Marie Bouzkova preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (5) Paula Badosa vs Marie Bouzkova
Date: 25 March 2022.
Tournament: Miami Open presented by Itau.
Round: Second Round (Round of 64).
Venue: Miami, Florida, USA.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Prize money: $8,584,055.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Paula Badosa vs Marie Bouzkova preview
Fifth seed Paula Badosa will take on Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova in the second round of the 2022 Miami Open on Friday.
Badosa won the biggest title of her career at Indian Wells last October, and followed it up with a decent start to the season with a title in the Sydney International. A fourth-round loss at the Australian Open and early exits in Dubai and Doha have, however, slowed down the Spaniard's progress.
The 24-year-old bounced back at Indian Wells last week, reaching the semifinals without dropping a set. She lost to Maria Sakkari in a three-set encounter.
She will now shift her focus to the Miami Open, where she will take on Bouzkova after a first-round bye. If things go her way, Badosa has a chance of becoming the World No. 1 with a title this week.
Bouzkova made a sluggish start to the season but has since recovered and posted good results. After a few early losses in Australia, she put together an excellent run in Guadalajara, defeating Sara Sorribes Tormo and Wang Qiang on her way to the final. The 23-year-old narrowly missed out on the title, losing to Sloane Stephens in three sets.
The Czech reached the third round in Indian Wells as a qualifier before retiring against Veronika Kudermetova. After coming through qualifying in Miami, she beat Laura Siegemund in the first round to set up a meeting with Badosa
Paula Badosa vs Marie Bouzkova head-to-head
The second-round encounter in Miami will be the second match between the two players, with Badosa leading the head-to-head 1-0 over Bouzkova. The Spaniard defeated Bouzkova in straight sets in Las Vegas back in 2017.
Paula Badosa vs Marie Bouzkova prediction
Given her recent results and superior ranking, Badosa will come into the match as the heavy favorite. Her counterpunching style is well-suited to the Miami hardcourt, and she can use her consistent serve to win free points.
Badosa's weakness is her tendency of giving away too much ground at the beginning of matches and sets. Bouzkova will look to make inroads early on in the match and capitalize on any lapses on the Spaniard's part.
The Czech's movement and skills at the net are her biggest weapons, and could pose some problems for Badosa.
The Spaniard is the stronger player, however, and comes into the match in good form. Unless her level falls too considerably, she should be able to move to the next round without much of a problem.
Prediction: Badosa to win in straight sets.
Also Check Out: Miami Open 2022 Schedule