First round

Kuznetsova (1.66) v Pavlyuchenkova (2.42)

Due to start at 11:30 am

Kuznetsova leads their previous matches 6-3. Their last meeting was on a hard court in Indian Wells in 2017. She won in 2 sets. Their only clay match was at the French Open in 2016. Kuznetsova won in 2 sets.

Their overall results in the last 12 months favour Pavlyuchenkova but their 2020 results are more even. Their clay results are also quite even.

Pavlyuchenkova had started the season well and reached the quarter finals of the Australian open. She had an injury last week in Strasbourg. She finished her match against Jil Teichmann but wasn’t moving well by the end. She doesn’t have a good record at the French Open in recent seasons. She has reached the third round 4 times and made the quarter finals in 2011. Last year she lost in the first round to Mandy Minella.

Kuznetsova played well to reach the third round in Rome 2 weeks ago. She beat Bernarda Pera and Anett Kontaveit in 3 sets as underdog before losing to Svitolina in 2 tight sets. She has a good French open record. She reached the fourth round in 2017 but lost in the first round in the last 2 seasons. Her 2018 loss was to Garbine Muguruza. She has been in the quarter final several times, the semi finals in 2008 and won the title in 2009.

Back Kuznetsova around 2.10.

 

First round

Puig (2.36) v Errani (1.72)

Due to start at 10 am

Puig has won all 4 of their previous matches. They last met Charleston, USA in April last year. That was on clay but the courts in Charleston are not red clay and are a little more like hard courts. She also won on red clay in Strasbourg in 2016.

Overall results are better for Errani in the last 12 months and also in 2020. Her clay results have been stronger in the last 12 months.

Puig has won 2 of her 6 matches in the last 12 months. She has lost all 4 of her 2020 matches. She has been in the third round of the French Open 3 times including in last season’s tournament.

Errani was once a top 5 player but has struggled in the last few seasons. Her form has improved a little in 2020. She reached the quarter finals in Palermo on clay in August. She played pretty well in the qualifying rounds of this tournament and didn’t lose a set.

We usually see plenty breaks of serve in Errani matches. She was underdog against Martincova in her last qualifying match. She was broken 13 times but won in straight sets! Back her around 2.10 to 2.20 or wait for her to be broken before backing.