Iga Swiatek vs Veronika Kudermetova Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Mutua Madrid Open

Prediction published on 04/05/2023, 07:00  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 04/05/2023 at 07:03 in Tennis Predictions

Iga Swiatek and Veronika Kudermetova will battle out the semi-final in the WTA Madrid Open on Thursday, with both players hoping to book their ticket for a final appearance against either Maria Sakkari or Aryna Sabalenka. World number one, Iga Swiatek, has been incredible again this season and will be looking to earn her third title of the year in this one to add to those that she picked up in Doha and, more recently, in Stuttgart last month. Swiatek has held the number-one rank for over a year now and hasn’t looked back. In this tournament, she has looked formidable yet again and showed her class in the last round, losing just three games against Petra Martic (6-0 6-3). This will be the Pole’s sixth semi-final appearance of the year, and she currently boasts a fine record of 24-4, and is unbeaten in eight matches on the clay. Swiatek has faced this opponent three times in the past and has bested her each time, though this will be the first time that the pair face off on the clay court. Swiatek beat Kudermetova in the semi-final in Doha on her way to the title and is firmly expected to do likewise here in Madrid. 

Meanwhile, Veronika Kudermetova has struggled to find her best form since her minor injury in Adelaide 2 at the start of the year, with her only run of any note coming in Doha, where she was beaten in the semi-final by this opponent. Since then, she’s suffered three first-round exits, first in Miami and then in her first two clay court tournaments for the year, in Charleston and Stuttgart. The Russian is now 14-9 for the year and 4-2 on the clay, thanks to a much-improved showing here in Madrid, where she’s already beaten the likes of Daria Kasatkina and, more impressively, Jessica Pegula in the quarter-final. However, Kudermetova’s record against this opponent doesn’t bode well for her chances, having never won a set in their three previous encounters and managing to win just one game in their last encounter in Doha. Based on the stats, this looks like it should be the end of the road for the Russian unless she can find what would be one of the best performances of her life to pull off a huge upset in this one.