Wimbledon 2021: Iga Swiatek vs Ons Jabeur preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (7) Iga Swiatek vs (21) Ons Jabeur
Date: 5 July 2021
Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon
Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)
Venue: London, Great Britain
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize money: £17,066,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Iga Swiatek vs Ons Jabeur preview
Seventh seed Iga Swiatek will set her sights on a maiden Wimbledon quarterfinal berth when she squares off against 21st seed Ons Jabeur on Monday.
Swiatek is still a work-in-progress on grass. But during the course of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, the World No. 9 has shown she has the qualities to succeed on the surface.
For a player who won her first-ever main draw match on grass just a week before Wimbledon, her campaign has been nothing short of spectacular. The 2020 French Open champion has blazed through the draw without dropping a set so far.
In her third-round match against Irina-Camelia Begu on Friday, the Pole was in devastating form, dropping just one game. But her next outing might not be so smooth.
Ons Jabeur has been on a roll during the grass swing. The Tunisian won her maiden WTA title in Birmingham, dropping just one set in five matches, and appears to be growing in confidence with every match.
The World No. 24 has accounted for two former Wimbledon champions — Venus Williams and Garbine Muguruza — en route to the fourth round in London.
In her previous match against Muguruza, the Tunisian did not panic even after losing a tight first set. Instead, she steadied herself and raised her game to oust the Spaniard 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
Iga Swiatek vs Ons Jabeur head-to-head
Iga Swiatek has a 1-0 lead over Ons Jabeur in their head-to-head. The Pole notched up a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in their only meeting at Washington in 2019.
Iga Swiatek vs Ons Jabeur prediction
This clash promises to be a battle between power and variety, and has all the makings of a blockbuster.
Jabeur has been a revelation on grass this year. Her variety, finesse and smart shot selection have made her a deadly opponent, especially for power hitters. The Tunisian has the ability to diffuse the power of aggressive baseliners, which was evident in the second and third sets against Muguruza. She was also fabulous at the net, winning 18 out of her 22 net approaches.
Jabeur has also been aided by her ability to land first serves under pressure. According to the official Wimbledon website, Jabeur's first-serve win percentage stands at 76% through the first three rounds.
Even though Jabeur has a lot going for her, she still might not be able to subdue the challenge of Iga Swiatek. The Pole is a much better mover than Muguruza and speed is one of her biggest assets.
The 20-year-old has been playing incredible first-strike tennis off both wings, with 43% of her winners coming off the backhand.
Her serve has also been highly reliable. The seventh seed has committed a grand total of two double faults in three matches. Against Begu, the youngster won 86% of her first-serve points. If Swiatek can replicate that serving performance against Jabeur, the Tunisian will find it hard to make any inroads.
If the Pole can storm out of the blocks and strike the ball as confidently as she has been doing, she should be able to come away with the win.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in three sets.