Wimbledon 2024: Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova
Date: Monday, July 1, 2024
Tournament: Wimbledon 2024
Round: First-round (Round of 128)
Venue: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, England, United Kingdom
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: £50,000,000
Live Telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - BBC | Canada - TSN, RDS, & ESPN International | India - Star Network
Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova preview
Former World No. 2 Paula Badosa will square off against 2023 French Open finalist Karolina Muchova in the first round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships on Monday, July 1, 2024.
Badosa opened her grasscourt swing at the ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin, participating only in doubles action alongside Victoria Azarenka. The pair swept aside the Russian duo of Irina Khromacheva and Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round. They took no further part as they withdrew before the start of their second-round encounter against Katerina Siniakova and Linda Noskova.
Badosa took part in the Bad Homburg Open next and started with a clinical 6-4, 6-1 victory over Arantxa Rus in the first round. Up against Jule Niemeier in the second round, Badosa rallied from a set down to eventually seal a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory. Her run was brought to a halt in the quarterfinals by Russian youngster Diana Shnaider in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Muchova, on the contrary, returned to action on the WTA tour after nearly eight months on the sidelines due to a wrist injury. She played her first match since the 2023 US Open in Eastbourne last week. She made it past her first round without breaking a sweat after her opponent Elina Avanesyan was forced to retire hurt down 1-3 in the first set.
Up against Magda Linette in the second round, Muchova looked back to her best as she sealed an emphatic 6-4, 6-1 win. Her luck with her wrist didn't last long as she retired ahead of her quarterfinal clash against Madison Keys because of it.
Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova head-to-head
Paula Badosa and Karolina Muchova have faced off twice in professional competition and split their head-to-head evenly at one win apiece. The Spaniard prevailed in three sets 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-2 in their previous encounter in Rome last year.
Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova prediction
Both Paula Badosa and Karolina Muchova have had their fair share of injuries over the past couple of years and look eager to compete at the highest level once again.
Badosa has had a sub-par 2024 and has managed to compile an 11-11 match record so far. She's been getting better with every match played and has gradually also started becoming much more consistent. Her impeccable baseline play remains a serious force to be reckoned with and could be particularly destructive on the grass courts in the next couple of weeks. Muchova, meanwhile, offered glimpses of the old in Eastbourne but was sidelined with yet another niggle on the wrist just when things were gradually falling back into place. She was rock-solid on serve and excelled at the net.
Badosa has never gone past the fourth round at Wimbledon and reached the second round last year. Muchova, meanwhile, is a two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist. Despite that, Badosa enters the clash the favorite to go through. She's been a regular this season and that could prove to be an edge over Muchova who's just returned to the tour.
Pick: Badosa in three sets.