Alison Van Uytvanck vs Petra Kvitová Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 14/01/2023, 11:52  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 15/01/2023 at 13:13 in Tennis Predictions

15th seeded Petra Kvitova opens her 2023 Australian Open campaign with a first round match against unseeded Alison Van Uytvanck. Kvitova first played this Grand Slam in 2008 and since then has reached the 2019 final, a semi-final and two quarter finals. The Czech was as low as 34th in the rankings last May but has slowly climbed her way back up to 15th. Winning the Eastbourne grass court tournament and reaching the final of the Western & Southern Open (a WTA 1000 event) helped her achieve that. This year has seen the 32-year-old win both her matches in the United Cup, including a straight sets victory over world number three Jessica Pegula. Her first singles tournament of the year saw her get to the quarter finals of the second Adelaide International before being beaten by eventual runner-up Daria Kasatkina. The winner of this match takes on either Anhelina Kalinina or Coco Vandeweghe with another match against Pegula possible in the last 16.

Alison Van Uytvanck is ranked 68th but was 40th last July. Her form in Grand Slams in recent years is not at all impressive. The last 16 that the Belgian has played have seen her fail to get past the second round. Her best performance was a quarter final at the 2015 French Open. This is her ninth time at the Australian Open and only two matches have been won in those tournaments. This year has seen Van Uytvanck win both of her matches in the United Cup but her opponents were lowly ranked with one being 381st in the world. Her only singles tournament in 2023 has been the Hobart International and the 28-year old lost in the last 16 to Xinyu Wang in three sets. There have been two previous meetings between these players, both going to three sets. Kvitova won in 2020 and the following year Van Uytvanck won in the Summer Olympics. Kvitova looks to be in far better form and can get the win.