Sydney Tennis Classic 2022: Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (5) Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic

Date: 12 January 2021

Tournament: Sydney Tennis Classic 2022

Round: Round of 16 (second round)

Venue: Sydney, Australia

Category: WTA 500

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $703,580

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Fifth seed Paula Badosa is set to take on home favorite Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round of the 2022 Sydney Tennis Classic on Wednesday.

Badosa won her first match of the season when she defeated former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(1), 6-1 in their opening-round clash. After a close first set, the Spaniard took control of the match and ran away with the second set.

Last week Badosa lost in the first round of the Adelaide International to Victoria Azarenka. But the 24-year old is back on track with a win in Sydney and will look to make a deep run here to boost her confidence prior to the Australian Open.

Up and running in Sydney 🏃‍♀️

🇪🇸 @paulabadosa gets the better of Ostapenko to reach the last 16.

#SydneyTennisClassic https://t.co/4ckRn4Ustd

Ajla Tomljanovic defeated qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the second round at the 2022 Sydney Tennis Classic. At the Adelaide International last week, she held three match points during her second-round match against Sofia Kenin. But she was unable to close out the match and lost 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.

Tomljanovic bounced back with her first-round win in Sydney and will be keen to keep the momentum going.

"I didn't get him anything, but I got him a win."

🇦🇺 @ajlatom sings happy birthday to her coach 🥳

#SydneyTennis https://t.co/D0r044YFJW

Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic head-to-head

This is going to be the first meeting between the two players, so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.

Paula Badosa vs Ajla Tomljanovic prediction

After early losses in their first tournament of the season, Paula Badosa and Ajla Tomljanovic will be eager to perform well this week. The Spaniard has a slight edge over her opponent, as she has taken her game to the next level over the past year.

She possesses an excellent serve that gives her control of the point early on and allows her to dictate play with her powerful groundstrokes from the first shot. Badosa's good court coverage also allows her to play defensively. Tomljanovic is a big hitter herself, but she'll need to mix things up if she wants to have a shot against the World No. 9.

The Australian is also known to buckle under pressure frequently. Last week's meltdown against Kenin wasn't the first time she lost a match from a winning position. This effectively gives her opponents a huge advantage. Badosa is known for her fighting spirit and mental toughness, winning plenty of matches from difficult situations.

Prediction: Paula Badosa to win in straight sets.

Also check out: Updated WTA WoMen's Tennis Rankings