Coco Gauff vs Marie Bouzkova
May 13, 2023 1:00 pm EDT
The Line: Marie Bouzkova +300 / Coco Gauff -400
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Coco Gauff and Marie Bouzkova meet in the third round of the 2023 tennis Italian Open. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
Coco Gauff is coming off a straight set win over Yulia Putintseva that took 13 games to decide. In the victory, Gauff won 88 percent of her first serve points and 64 percent of her second serve points. Gauff won 74 percent of her total service points and converted on 5 of her 11 break points. Gauff got 44 percent of her first serves in play and hit 6 aces. Gauff looks to win at least 2 matches in a single tournament for the first time since Indian Wells. Gauff looks to make the fourth round for the fifth time in her last 8 WTA 1000 events. Gauff has won 7 of her last 10 matches on clay court.
Marie Bouzkova is coming off a straight set win over Caty McNally that took 19 games to decide. In the victory, Bouzkova won 61 percent of her first serve points and 39 percent of her second serve points. Bouzkova won 55 percent of her total service points and converted on 6 of her 10 break points. Bouzkova got 73 percent of her first serves in play and hit 1 ace. Bouzkova looks to win back to back matches on the main tour for the first time since Doha back in February. Bouzkova looks to make the fourth round of a WTA 1000 for the third time in her career. Bouzkova has 6 career wins over top-10 players. Bouzkova has won 5 of her last 8 matches on clay court.
Bouzkova beat Gauff in the only meeting, which was 2022 Cincinnati. Bouzkova won the first set in 12 games and Gauff retired in the second set due to an ankle injury after dropping the first game.
Bouzkova will have some confidence after beating Gauff in the first meeting, but I think it will take more than that for me to get on the underdog. Gauff is simply the better player, far more trustworthy in big tournaments, and is coming off an absolute dominating performance. It’s hard not to get behind the American here, and I’ll take her in straight sets to shave down the price.
