Sloane Stephens vs Karolina Pliskova Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Rouen

Prediction published on 16/04/2024, 04:22  by Ian John | Modified on 17/04/2024 at 05:30 in Tennis Predictions

A former world number 3, Sloane Stephens and a former number 1 Karolina Pliskova meet for the first time since the 2023 French Open title in Rouen and it should be an intriguing game between two of the most familiar names in the womens game. Stephens, who is the sixth seed in this tournament, got off to a poor start in her First Round game, losing the first set 6-1 to Peyton Stearns, however, she bounced back to win the remaining two sets 6-1, 6 -3 to move into the second round. This matches her best performances of the year so far in Charleston and Austin where she reached the Round of 16 in both tournaments. Stephens will be confident facing Pliskova, as she has a fine head-to-head record against the Czech former world number 1.

Her opponent Karolina Pliskova had barely suffered an injury in her career until 2023, when a wrist injury forced her to end her 2023 season early and then on her return to action in 2024, she had some tough draws against top opponents in Brisbane, Adelaide and at the Australian Open but then won at Cluj Napoca and then reached the semi-finals in Doha. However a lower back injury saw her forced to withdraw from her match against Iga Swiatek. She's been competitive in all her games since, but has lost three of the last four matches, but did beat qualifier Polina Kudermetova 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in the first round here in what is her first clay tournament of the season. The winner of this tie will heasd into the quarterfinals and will face either Varvara Gracheva, Viktoriya Tomova, Mayar Sherif or fourth seed Yue Yuan for a spot in the semi-finals.