WTA Finals 2022: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Jessica Pegula vs (7) Aryna Sabalenka.
Date: November 4, 2022.
Tournament: WTA Finals 2022.
Round: Round robin.
Venue: Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, United States.
Category: Year-ending championships.
Surface: Hardcourt.
Prize money: $5,000,000.
Match timing: Not before 3:30 pm local time, 4:30 pm ET, 8:30 pm GMT and 2 am IST.
Live telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Amazon Prime Video.
Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka preview
Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka are set to clash in the final group match of the 2022 WTA Finals on Friday.
After kicking off her campaign with a tight two-set loss against Maria Sakkari, Pegula faced Ons Jabeur. The American started the match in good form as he reeled off six straight games to take the first set.
Jabeur was the first to go up a break in the second set but Pegula managed to get back on serve to make it 3-2. The Tunisian then broke her opponent's serve twice as she won four consecutive games to clinch the set and level the proceedings.
Pegula held five break points at the start of the third set, but Jabeur displayed great tenacity to fend them off for a hold of serve. The American didn't get a whiff of a break point after that as the 2022 Wimbledon finalist defeated her 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Sabalenka scored a three-set win over Jabeur to kick off her WTA Finals campaign with a victory. She took on Maria Sakkari in the second round-robin match. The Belarusian went down an early break to trail 3-1 in the first set. She held a couple of break points to get back on serve in the sixth game but failed to convert.
Sabalenka then lost serve once again, following which Sakkari served out the set to take the lead. The Belarusian was on the backfoot in the second set as she fell behind 3-0. However, she won the next four games in a row to lead 4-3.
Sabalenka was unable to build upon this momentum as Sakkari claimed the next three games to defeat her 6-2, 6-4.
Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka head-to-head
Sabalenka leads Pegula 3-1 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Italian Open in straight sets.
Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka prediction
Both players are still in contention for a semifinal spot, though their fate also depends upon the other group match between Sakkari and Jabeur. It has been a tough WTA Finals debut for Pegula, as she has not only lost her singles matches, but also both of her doubles ties.
The American started strong in her previous match against Jabeur but was unable to maintain the same intensity. She started playing a little passively towards the end of the match as well. The American lacks enough power in her groundstrokes, which also makes things difficult for her at times.
Sabalenka was off to a terrible start against Sakkari. She did raise her level as the match progressed, but it was too little too late for her. The Belarusian hit 15 winners but committed 29 unforced errors, which led to her downfall.
While Sabalenka has a winning record against Pegula, she has won all of their matches on clay. Pegula won their only encounter on hardcourts a couple of years ago. The contest could swing either way, though the Belarusian might find a way to sway the tide in her favor in the end.
Pick: Aryna Sabalenka to win in three sets.