Wimbledon 2022: Ajla Tomljanovic vs Barbora Krejcikova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: Ajla Tomljanovic vs (13) Barbora Krejcikova
Date: July 2, 2022.
Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon.
Round: Third Round (Round of 32).
Venue: London, Great Britain.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: £40,350,000.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Ajla Tomljanovic vs Barbora Krejcikova preview
13th seed Barbora Krejcikova will take on Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships on Saturday, setting up one of the clashes of the tournament in the first week.
Barbora Krejcikova bounced back from her nightmare first-round exits at the French Open and the Eastbourne International in the lead-up to the Grass Major, beating Maryna Zanevska and Viktorija Golubic in straight sets. The former French Open winner reached the fourth round at SW19 last year and will be looking to repeat her career-best result at the event once again at the very least.
against Golubic 
6-3 6-4 to move into round 3. Very good win for Krejcikova 🇨🇿 against Golubic 🇨🇭 6-3 6-4 to move into round 3.
Not going to be easy to beat at Wimbledon https://t.co/mPv2Rq8DGI
The former French Open champion had comfortable outings in both contests, winning 7-6(4), 6-3 against the Belgian in 100 minutes and 6-3, 6-4 against the Swiss in 102 minutes.
The Czech looked very impressive against Golubic, winning almost 70% of her first serve points (27/39) and hitting 24 winners along the way. On return, Krejcikova managed to win almost half of the points (29/64) on her opponent's serve and converted three of her 11 break points.
Tomljanovic, meanwhile, is on a remarkable run in the tournament so far, outclassing 18th seed Jil Teichmann in her opener and Catherine Harrison in the second round in straight sets. This is the first time the World No. 44 has reached the third round at a Grand Slam this season, and is two wins short of equalling her quarterfinal run at Wimbledon from last year.
For Pride & Prize Money
Without ranking point this year, Ajla Tomljanovic is going plummet after Wimbledon no matter what.
But, last year's quarterfinalist can still bring back some bank!
The Aussie locks down another $150k with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Catherine Harrison. https://t.co/PIJRzvs2qS
The Australian looked sensational in both victories, needing less than an hour and a half each to dispose of her opponents. While the 6-2, 6-3 win over the Swiss was a statement win to begin with, Tomljanovic was even more comfortable during the 6-2, 6-2 win against the American.
The 29-year-old won more than 80% of her first serve points (24/29) and almost half of her second serve points (9/20), while managing to win more than half of the return points on Harrison's serve (40/73). She also hit 15 winners while making only 22 unforced errors along the way.
Ajla Tomljanovic vs Barbora Krejcikova head-to-head
Ajla Tomljanovic and Barbora Krejcikova have not met on the WTA tour to date, and will meet for the first time on Saturday. Their head-to-head is currently tied at 0-0.
Ajla Tomljanovic vs Barbora Krejcikova odds
(All bets are sourced from BetMGM)
Ajla Tomljanovic vs Barbora Krejcikova prediction
Barbora Krejcikova's aggressive playstyle will make for a good foil against Ajla Tomljanovic's baselining skills, but the Czech remains the favorite to make it into the next round.
Although the Australian is on a purple patch as of now, with grass definitely being the surface that is most conducive to her big-hitting approach to the game, Krejcikova has the superior experience to draw on for the big clashes.
The 29-year-old's serve is also clicking at the moment, but the World No. 14 demonstrated in her first two matches that she can effectively utilize the slice to neutralize that particular threat.
Ajla Tomljanović has cruised into the third round at Wimbledon!
Full sport coverage: bit.ly/abcsport
🇦🇺🎾 Ajla Tomljanović has cruised into the third round at Wimbledon!
She beat American Catherine Harrison in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). GO AJLA!
🎙️ DAILY pod: bit.ly/ABCSPORTDAILY
📰 Full sport coverage: bit.ly/abcsport https://t.co/tPdiEVoq4y
The drop shot, widely regarded as the former French Open winner's biggest asset, could also prove to be the difference between the two players. If the 13th seed can mix and match her powerful forehand with the drop, she will be able to catch Tomljanovic unaware more often than not.
The World No. 44 is very much capable of causing an upset, but as things stand at the moment, Krejcikova has the superior all-round skills to thwart her from advancing into the second week of the tournament.
Pick: Barbora Krejcikova to win in three sets