Slovenia 2022: Emma Raducanu vs Anna-Lena Friedsam preview, head-to-head & prediction | Zavarovalnica Sava Portoroz
Match Details
Fixture: (1/WC) Emma Raducanu vs (Q) Anna-Lena Friedsam.
Date: September 15, 2022.
Tournament: Slovenia Open 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Portoroz, Slovenia.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $251,750.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Emma Raducanu vs Anna-Lena Friedsam preview
2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu will square off against qualifier Anna-Lena Friedsam in the second round of the 2022 Slovenia Open.
After a string of underwhelming results throughout the season, Raducanu returned to the scene of her crowning glory - the US Open. The teenager stunned the world by claiming her maiden Grand Slam title as a qualifier in New York last year. However, there was no fairytale ending this time around as her title defense came to an end in the first round itself at the hands of Alize Cornet.
Raducanu took a wildcard to compete in Slovenia following her disappointing loss at the US Open. She was up against Dayana Yastremska in the first round. She led 4-1 in the opening set, but her opponent managed to retrieve one of the breaks.
However, Raducanu nipped that comeback in the bud. She snagged another break of serve in the following game to go 5-2 up and then served out the set with ease. The teenager secured an early break of serve to lead 3-1 in the second set. She held on to the lead and was just one game away from winning the match when Yastremska retired due to an injury.
The final scoreline read 6-2, 5-3 ret. in Raducanu's favor.
The No.1 seed @EmmaRaducanu moves into the second round after Yastremska retires due to injury.
Final score: 6-2, 5-3.
#WTAPortoroz https://t.co/s4rjQShPDU
Anna-Lena Friedsam came through qualifying to book her spot in the main draw at Portoroz. She took on Elizabeth Mandlik, daughter of four-time Grand Slam champion Hana Mandlikova, in the first round.
Friedsam was off to a dreadful start as she was on the receiving end of an opening set bagel. Mandlik continued to steamroll her as she jumped to a 3-0 lead in the second set. However, the German kicked off her comeback from this point, taking six of the next seven games to clinch the set and take the match to a decider.
Friedsam carried this momentum into the final set as well, racing to a 5-0 lead in no time. Mandlik put an end to her losing skid with a hold of serve, but it was too little too late. The German then served out the match to complete a 0-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback win.
Emma Raducanu vs Anna-Lena Friedsam head-to-head
This will be their first meeting on the WTA tour, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now. However, Friedsam did win their only encounter on the ITF circuit back in 2019.
Emma Raducanu vs Anna-Lena Friedsam odds
(All Odds are siurced from BetMGM)
Emma Raducanu vs Anna-Lena Friedsam prediction
Raducanu's ranking has taken a massive dip following her first-round exit from the US Open, and the Brit is currently ranked 83rd. Rising to the top of the game will take some time, but she certainly has the talent to do so. Raducanu did well enough to handle Yastremska in the first round, though it was hard to determine her actual level given that her opponent was spraying errors left and right.
Friedsam looked down and out against Mandlik in the first round, but staged a spirited fightback to overcome her opponent. She'll now face a much sterner test against Raducanu. The teenager's serving stats in the first round were a little lower than usual, but still better compared to the German's.
Overall, Raducanu's game is still a little more passive than before and she'll need to resume playing with an attacking mindset that won her the US Open last year. Friedsam's had limited success on the WTA tour over the last few years, so even with a few hiccups along the way, the Brit should be able to emerge victorious in the end.
Pick: Emma Raducanu to win in straight sets.