The draws are now out for men’s and women’s singles action in tennis at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Let’s take a look at the three best singles matches.
(13) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova–ROC vs. Sara Errani–ITA–In this battle of two players who have had their best grand slam result on clay, Pavlyuchenkova should be favoured based on her impressive performance at the 2021 French Open, where she reached the final, before losing to Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic. Errani meanwhile reached the 2012 French Open Final, before losing 6-3, 6-2 to Maria Sharapova of Russia. Head-to-head, Pavyluchenkova has the 4-2 advantage. Remember, Pavlyuchenkova is not competing for Russia, but the Russian Olympic Committee.
(16) Kiki Bertens–NED vs. Marketa Vondrousova–CZE–In another battle of players who have had their best grand slam result at the French Open. Bertens, the 2016 French Open semifinalist, is up against Vondrousova, the 2019 French Open finalist. Bertens missed the Australian Open earlier this year because of Achilles surgery. Head-to-head, Vondrousova won their only prior meeting, in the third round of the 2018 United States Open, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6.
Jelena Ostapenko–LAT vs. Elena Vesnina–ROC–In a battle of two Eastern Europeans, Ostapenko’s most notable tennis accomplishment to date was winning the 2017 French Open as an unseeded player. There she defeated Romania’s Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Ostapenko was the first unseeded women’s tennis player to win the French Open since 1983. Vesnina meanwhile reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2016. Head-to-head, Vesnina has won both of their prior meetings. The first win was in Madrid in 2016, and the second win was in Dubai in 2018.
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