Lesia Tsurenko vs Elina Svitolina
May 10, 2023 9:00 am EDT
The Line: Elina Svitolina +150 / Lesia Tsurenko -189
(Get latest betting odds)
Lesia Tsurenko and Elina Svitolina meet in the first round of the 2023 tennis Italian Open. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
Lesia Tsurenko is coming off a third round trip in Madrid and has won 7 of her last 10 played matches. This is easily some of the best tennis Tsurenko has played in a while, but she’s had trouble making deep runs in WTA 1000 events. Tsurenko is 2-5 in her career in the Italian Open and hasn’t won a match here since 2017. Needless to say, there are some demons, Tsurenko needs to overcome on the big stage. Tsurenko has won 6 of her last 10 matches on clay court.
Elina Svitolina is coming off a semifinal trip in a challenger tournament in Saint Malo. Svitolina lost her opening match in Madrid and has been trying to work her way back from a pregnancy. Svitolina hasn’t won a match on the main tour since Monterrey back in March of last year. However, Svitolina should have a new level of confidence after winning 3 matches in challenger play, and she is a two-time champion at the Italian Open. Svitolina has made at least the quarterfinals in 4 of her last 5 trips at the Italian Open. Svitolina has split her last 8 matches on clay court.
Svitolina won the only meeting against Tsurenko, which was 2017 Cincinnati. The match was decided in straight sets and 17 games.
You can make a case for either side here, as they’ve both had their ups and downs. With that said, we’re getting plus money with Svitolina and that hard to ignore. Yes, Svitolina hasn’t shown much on the main stage recently, but she did gain some confidence in her recent tournament, and she’s very comfortable at these venues, which includes 2 titles.
I see some value with Svitolina and the plus money.
