Miami Open 2023: Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Jelena Ostapenko preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: (13) Beatriz Haddad Maia vs (24) Jelena Ostapenko
Date: March 25, 2023
Tournament: Miami Open 2023
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
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
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Jelena Ostapenko preview
World No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia will square off against 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the third round of the 2023 Miami Open on Saturday.
After a first-round bye, Haddad Maia faced Tereza Martincova in the second round. The Brazilian started the match with a break of serve to go 2-0 up, but her opponent leveled the score soon enough.
Haddad Maia then saved a set point to take the set into a tie-break, in which she came out on top. Martincova responded strongly as she claimed the second set by dishing out a bagel.
Haddad Maia returned the favor in the final set by reeling off six straight games to win the match 7-6(4), 0-6, 6-0.
Ostapenko faced qualifier Mirjam Bjorklund in the second round following a bye. She led 2-0 in the first set, but let go of her lead to allow her opponent to get back into the match. The Latvian raised her level towards the end of the set as she bagged three games in a row to take it.
The second set commenced with three straight breaks of serve, with Ostapenko gaining the upper hand to lead 2-1. The 25-year-old had a match point on her opponent's serve at 5-3, but failed to get the job done.
Ostapenko then stepped up to close out the proceedings. Bjorklund made things difficult for her as the Latvian needed to save three break points before completing a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Jelena Ostapenko head-to-head
Ostapenko leads Haddad Maia 3-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Western & Southern Open in straight sets.
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Jelena Ostapenko odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Jelena Ostapenko prediction
Haddad Maia survived a topsy-turvy match to oust Martincova in the previous round. The first set was pivotal as the Brazilian switched up her tactics a bit when she was in trouble. She came forward to finish off the points and her opponent struggled to counter it.
Despite a straightforward scoreline, Ostapenko did have her fair share of struggles against Bjorklund in the second round. She coughed up eight double faults and almost stumbled while closing out the match.
However, Ostapenko's form varies from match to match and she could very well be back to her best for her next contest. She has a perfect winning record against Haddad Maia, including a victory in Miami back in 2018, when she made it to the final.
Ostapenko's firepower has proved to be too much for Haddad Maia to handle in the past. The Latvian could put herself in a spot of bother with a flurry of errors, but if she's able to keep them in check, she should be able to advance further.
Pick: Jelena Ostapenko to win in three sets.