US Open 2023: Petra Kvitova vs Caroline Wozniacki preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (11) Petra Kvitova vs (WC) Caroline Wozniacki
Date: August 30, 2023
Tournament: US Open 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: New York, United States
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $65,000,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN | Canada - TSN | UK - Sky Sports | India - Sony Sports
Petra Kvitova vs Caroline Wozniacki preview
Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki will clash in an exciting second-round showdown between Major champions at the 2023 US Open on Wednesday (August 30).
Kvitova kicked off her campaign in New York against Cristina Bucsa. The two-time Wimbledon champion quickly raced through the first set, dropping just one game to capture it.
Kvitova didn't take her foot off the pedal in the second set either and jumped to a 5-2 lead. However, Bucsa had other plans as she fought back to level the score and then take the set into a tie-break as well. But the Czech came out on top in it to win the match 6-1, 7-6(5).
Meanwhile, playing in her first Grand Slam match since the 2020 Australian Open, Wozniacki faced qualifier Tatiana Prozorova in her opener. The two traded service breaks to start the match but remained on even footing over the next few games after that.
Wozniacki ended the stalemate as she bagged four games in a row to claim the set. She then breezed through the second set and secured a 5-1 lead for herself. The Dane then stepped up to serve for the match, but got broken. It proved to be a minor hiccup as she broke back immediately to win the match 6-3, 6-2.
Petra Kvitova vs Caroline Wozniacki head-to-head
Kvitova leads Wozniacki 8-6 in the head-to-head. The latter won their previous encounter at the 2018 WTA Finals in three sets.
Petra Kvitova vs Caroline Wozniacki odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Petra Kvitova vs Caroline Wozniacki prediction
Kvitova was cruising to an easy win when things got difficult for her, but she raised her level in the tie-break to get the job done. Her record in tie-breaks is quite impressive this season, going 12-4 in them. The Czech also blasted 34 winners, which stacked up nicely in contrast to her 18 unforced errors.
Wozniacki made a triumphant return to the big leagues with a routine win over Prozorova. However, after serving up twice as many errors compared to winners, the Dane will need to clean up her act going forward.
Kvitova and Wozniacki are old foes and are set to renew their rivalry after almost five years. The contrast in their playing styles always made this a compelling match-up to witness.
Kvitova's hard-hitting aggressive approach has usually had the upper hand against Wozniacki's defensive tactics. The Czech's gameplay is a bit too volatile at times and there's always a chance that she could overhit to put herself out of contention.
However, given Wozniacki's comeback is still at a nascent stage, Kvitova is likely to emerge victorious in this derby between Grand Slam champions.
Pick: Petra Kvitova to win in straight sets.