Miami Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova
Date: March 27, 2023
Tournament: Miami Open 2023
Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)
Venue: Miami Gardens, Florida, United States
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $8,800,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel/TC Plus | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova preview
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka will take on 16th seed Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round of the Miami Open on Monday.
Being a seeded player, the Belarusian received a bye to the second round of the Miami Open. She faced Shelby Rogers and beat her 6-4, 6-3 to set up a third-round clash against Marie Bouzkova.
The Belarusian was dominant throughout the match and won 6-1, 6-2 to book her place in the fourth round of the Miami Open.
Barbora Krejcikova was seeded 16th in the WTA 1000 event, receiving a bye to the second round. Here, she took on Aliaksandra Sasnovich and beat her 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round, where her opponent was 19th seed Madison Keys.
The Czech started the match well and made the first break in the fifth game of the opening set. However, Keys saved two set points and broke back to tie the score at 5-5. Krejcikova eventually managed to take the opening set via a tiebreak to take the lead in the match.
Keys made the first break of the second set but Krejcikova broke her back to level the score at 3-3. The Czech broke her again and eventually won 6-3 to book her place in the fourth round.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova head-to-head
Sabalenka leads 3-1 in the head-to-head against Krejcikova. The last meeting between the two came in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, with Sabalenka winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova odds
All odds are sourced from BETMGM.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova prediction
Krejcikova and Sabalenka have already faced each other twice this season, with the Czech winning in Dubai while the Belarusian was triumphant in Indian Wells. Both matches went to three sets, so there is a good chance of us witnessing another tightly-contested encounter in Miami.
Sabalenka plays very aggressively, with her serve and powerful shots capable of making things very difficult for even the best of players. The 24-year-old's biggest issue was hitting too many unforced errors, but she seems to have more control over her shots now. She is also a lot more composed on the court, which could play to her advantage.
Krejcikova plays with calculated aggression and constructs her points well. The Czech can make swift transitions from defense to offense and vice versa, which will come in handy against someone with Sabalenka's quality.
Eventually, the player that manages to be calmer and more composed on the court will come out on top.
The match is likely to go to three sets and there is a good chance that Sabalenka beats Krejcikova, considering how dominant she has been in recent matches. That said, it won't be a surprise if the Czech prevails.
Pick: Sabalenka to win in three sets.