Petra Kvitová vs Donna Vekić Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Miami

Prediction published on 25/03/2023, 14:51  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 25/03/2023 at 16:20 in Tennis Predictions

Two seeds face off in the third round of the Miami Masters. 15th seeded Petra Kvitova takes on Donna Vekic who is the 22nd seed. The winner of this match will face unseeded opposition in the fourth round, either lucky loser Magdalena Frech or qualifier Varvara Gracheva. Kvitova began this tournament ranked 12th but is down to 15th as the Czech defends the points when reaching the last eight here in 2022. The former world number two has reached two quarter finals this year. The most recent was in Indian Wells where world number three Jessica Pegula was beaten before losing a three-setter to Maria Sakkari. Kvitova is 18th in the LIve WTA Race at the time of writing this preview. The Czech has won three of her four previous matches against Vekic. The most recent was on grass in Eastbourne last year and nine years ago, Kvitova beat Vekic in Miami.

Donna Vekic is six places higher than her opponent in the live WTA Race. That's mainly due to all the points earned when making it to the last eight of the Australian Open and winning the WTA 250 event in Monterrey. Another last eight appearance came in Linz so it's been a consistent year for her. In the main ranking list, Vekic is 20th but down to 22nd in the live rankings. It didn't go so well in Indian Wells though where she lost her first match in the tournament to then world number 95 Lesia Tsurenko. Vekic has never made it past the third round in Miami. So far this week, the 26-year-old has beaten unseeded Madison Brengle but needed to come from a set down to do so. This may also go to three sets but it's Kvitova who we fancy to progress.