Paris Olympics 2024: Leylah Fernandez vs Cristina Bucsa preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (16) Leylah Fernandez vs Cristina Bucsa
Date: July 29, 2024
Tournament: Paris Olympics 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France
Category: Olympics
Surface: Clay
Live Telecast: USA - NBC, Peacock | UK - Eurosport, Discovery+, BBC iPlayer | Canada - CBC Gem, Radio Canada, Tou.tv | India - JioCinema, Sports18
Leylah Fernandez vs Cristina Bucsa preview
Canada's Leylah Fernandez will face Spain's Cristina Bucsa in the second round of the Paris Olympics 2024.
Fernandez was drawn against Karolina Muchova in the first round, with the Czech being a finalist at the French Open a year ago. The Canadian was at her best in the first set as she claimed the set for the loss of only one game.
Fernandez led by a break twice in the second set but Muchova cleaned up her act as she swept the last four games of the set to take it and force a decider. The Canadian then raced to a 4-1 lead in the third set thanks to a double break.
Muchova managed to get one of the breaks back to make it 4-2 but Fernandez nipped her comeback in the bud. She secured another break of serve to go 5-2 up and served out the match in the next game for a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 win.
Bucsa, meanwhile, took on Croatia's Petra Martic in the first round of the Paris Olympics. The Spaniard jumped to a 5-1 lead in the first set but encountered some stiff resistance from her opponent after that.
Martic nabbed the next three games to get back on serve and make it 5-4. However, her efforts went to waste as Bucsa secured another break of serve to take the set. The second set didn't feature any such momentum shifts. The Spaniard put herself in the lead due to an early break and remained in front until the end to secure a 6-4, 6-3 win.
Leylah Fernandez vs Cristina Bucsa head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between the two, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Leylah Fernandez vs Cristina Bucsa odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Leylah Fernandez vs Cristina Bucsa prediction
Fernandez overcame a second-set stumble to down a surging Muchova. The Canadian struck 22 winners against 20 unforced errors, and her serve held up quite well too. Her new service motion has managed to make her serve more consistent than before, though it hasn't completely solved her problems.
Bucsa almost let go of the first set from a winning position but regrouped in time to capture it. She asserted herself with her gameplay in the second set to make a winning debut at the Olympics.
Both players are quite comfortable on clay. Bucsa won the doubles title at the Madrid Open this year, while Fernandez made the quarterfinals of the French Open two years ago. The Canadian has been in better form this season, which could eventually tilt this contest in her favor.
Pick: Leylah Fernandez to win in straight sets.