Paula Badosa vs Linda Fruhvirtova Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Miami

Prediction published on 28/03/2022, 07:15  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 28/03/2022 at 08:38 in Tennis Predictions

Fifth seeded Paula Badosa takes on wild card Linda Fruhvirtova in the Miami Masters fourth round. The winner of this tie takes on either 16th seeded Jessica Pegula or unseeded Anhelina Kalinina in the quarter final. Badosa is the world number six but in the top three in the live rankings. The Spaniard is chasing her second title of the year. 2022 began with her winning the Sydney Tennis Classic beating Barbora Krejcikova in the final. The last 16 of the Australian Open was reached before a slight dip in form. Badosa improved in her last event though, getting to the semi-final at Indian Wells (where she was the defending champion) but losing to eventual runner-up Maria Sakkari. Seeded fifth in Miami, Badosa has beaten Marie Bouzkova and Yulia Putintseva without dropping a set.

Linda Fruhvirtova began this tournament ranked 279th in the world but received a wild card for the event. At one stage last month, the Czech was ranked 327th but is up to 186th in the live rankings. That will see her in the world's top 200 for the first time in her career. The 16-year-old (she turns 17 in May) has won three tournaments on the ITF circuit, including one in Mexcico this February. Since that win she played two tournaments and lost her first match in both of them. The Czech has made the most of the wild card given to her with wins over Danka Kovinic, 20th seed Elise Mertens (in three sets) and then an emotional 12th seed Viktoria Azarenka. Fruhvirtova won the first set 6-2 and was 3-0 up in the second when her opponent retired. This is a much tougher task against an in-form top ten player. Go for Badosa to win in straight sets.