Paula Badosa vs Karolina Muchova Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Rome

Prediction published on 15/05/2023, 16:45  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 16/05/2023 at 14:34 in Tennis Predictions

We're guaranteed an unseeded player in the last eight of the Italian Open. That's because Paula Badosa takes on Karolina Muchova but they'll face seeded opposition in the next round. Waiting for them in the quarter finals are either eighth seeded Daria Kasatkina or the 20th seeded Jelena Ostapenko. Badosa began this tournament ranked 35th and can rise as high as 28th if winning this match and that'd see her seeded at Roland Garros. The Spaniard is bidding to reach her third clay court quarter final this year. Her previous last eight appearances were in Stuttgart and Charleston, both saw her beaten by a top three ranked player. In Rome, the 25-year-old had problems in the first round as she had to come from a set down to beat qualifier Anna-Lena Friedsam. 

Karolina Muchova started this tournament ranked 52nd. That's 99 places higher than at the start of the year but not unexpected. The Czech was as high as 19th two years ago but slipped down the rankings due to injury. This run to the last 16 in Rome has seen her climb another ten places to 42nd. This is only her second clay court event of the year, the other seeing her lose in the last 16 in Madrid. A win here will see Muchova in her fourth quarter final of the year. Three matches have had to be won in Rome to get this far. The highlight was coming from behind to beat 18th seeded Martina Trevisan in round two. Muchova won the only previous match between the pair but that was on grass at Wimbledon. On clay we go for Badosa to get the win.