Wimbledon 2022: Paula Badosa vs Louisa Chirico preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (4) Paula Badosa vs Louisa Chirico
Date: June 28, 2022
Tournament: Wimbledon 2022
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: £40,350,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - BBC & Eurosport | India - Star Sports & Disney+ Hotstar app
Paula Badosa vs Louisa Chirico preview
Fourth seed Paula Badosa will start her Wimbledon campaign against Louisa Chirico in the first round on Tuesday.
Badosa has a 64% win-rate this season, with her only title coming at the Sydney Tennis Classic in January. The Spaniard also made the semifinals at Indian Wells and Stuttgart.
Badosa kicked off her grass season at the Eastbourne International after a disappointing exit from the French Open, where she was forced to retire with a right calf injury from her third-round match against Veronika Kudermetova. The Spaniard was shocked by British wildcard Jodie Burrage in straight sets.
Louisa Chirico, on the other hand, is through to the main draw at Wimbledon for only the second time in her career. The American picked up hard-fought wins over Anna Siskova, Reka Luca Jani and Kathinka von Deichmann in the qualifiers.
Chirico needed three sets to oust von Deichmann in her final qualifier. The 26-year-old is well-known on the ITF circuit, having won the W60 Charlottesville title in April on clay.
Paula Badosa vs Louisa Chirico head-to-head
Badosa and Chirico have never faced each other, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Paula Badosa vs Louisa Chirico odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Paula Badosa vs Louisa Chirico prediction
Badosa is the heavy favourite heading into this match. The Spaniard has put up decent performances this year, but is yet to find her best form. She will be desperate to improve her record on grass, the only surface on which she hasn't won a title.
Badosa was poor in her only outing on grass this season at Eastbourne. She won only 57% of her first serve points and served three double faults. She will have to improve on those numbers quickly if she wants to make a deep run at Wimbledon.
Chirico announced herself on the tour six years ago when she defeated Anna Ivanovich enroute to the Madrid Open semifinals. The American struggled with a shoulder injury between 2019 and 2021 and has played mostly on the ITF tour since her return. This will be her first Grand Slam appearance since 2017.
Chrico will enjoy being back on the Grand Slam stage after so many years, but her journey is likely to end in the first round.
Pick: Badosa to win in straight sets