Karolina Muchova vs Aryna Sabalenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA French Open

Prediction published on 06/06/2023, 09:57  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 06/06/2023 at 11:20 in Tennis Predictions

Aryna Sabalena is in her first Roland Garros semi-final and closing in on the world number one spot. The second seed takes on unseeded Karolina Muchova for a place in the final. Sabalenka is currently in top spot in the live rankings but has to do better here than defending champion Iga Swiatek to stay in that position. Before this year, Sabalenka had never won a Grand Slam title or got past the third round at Roland Garros. That's all changed this year with success at the Australian Open and this run to the last four at Roland Garros. The 25-year-old has won one clay court tournament so far this year and beat Swiatek to wwin in Madrid. Sabalenka is yet to drop a set in this tournament and in the quarter finals ended the run of Elina Svitolina winning both sets 6-4. There' s only been one previous meeting with Muchova and that was four years ago. This is their first clay court match.

Unseeded Karolina Muchova started this tournament ranked 43rd in the world but is now up to 19th. That equals her career high and if winning this semi-final will rise to 16th place. Like her opponent, Muchova is playing in her first Roland Garros semi-final. Her previous best was reaching the third round and this is only her second Grand Slam last four appearance. The other was two years ago in the Australian Open. The Czech only played a couple of clay court events before Roland Garros and no quarter finals were reached. So far in this tournament, two seeds have been beaten, the highest being eighth seeded Maria Sakkari in round one. 27th seeded Irina Camella-Begu was beaten in round three but it's not been such a tough draw in the last two rounds with a lucky loser and an unseeded player being beaten. The last eight saw her beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for the loss of seven games. Sabalenka is in the better form and can win this in straight sets.