World No. 1 Iga Swiatek To Face Lucky Loser Julia Grabher in Mutua Madrid Open 2023 Second Round

ParallelDesk 12:39:23 PM, 27 April 2023

Madrid is all set to witness a thrilling encounter between World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and lucky loser Julia Grabher in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open 2023. The much-awaited match is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 28, 2023, at the Caja Magica stadium in Madrid, Spain. Iga Swiatek, who reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, claimed her first title of the season at the Qatar Open. She also made it to the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she faced a loss to Barbora Krejcikova. At the BNP Paribas Open, she reached the semifinals before losing out. Swiatek had to sit out of the Miami Open due to an injury. However, she bounced back with a commanding performance at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she defeated notable players like Karolina Pliskova and Aryna Sabalenka to win the title for the second year in a row. Swiatek received a bye in the first round of the Madrid Open, and will now face her next challenge against Julia Grabher. The Austrian had lost in the final round of qualifying but was given a second chance as a lucky loser. She went on to defeat Viktoriya Tomova in the first round of the tournament, dropping just one game in the opening set. Despite a comfortable start in the second set, Grabher allowed Tomova to level the score, eventually forcing the match to a tie-breaker. However, Grabher kept her cool and won the set 7-6 (5). This is the first time that Swiatek and Grabher will be facing each other, making their head-to-head record 0-0. The betting odds also favor Swiatek, with BetMGM predicting a win for the Pole with a 10000 moneyline and a +1.5 handicap. Looking at the players' performance, it seems highly unlikely that Grabher will be able to topple the tennis world No.1. However, with her previous win against Tomova and a second chance in Madrid, Grabher may give Swiatek some trouble on the court. Despite the tension, fans can expect a strong performance from Swiatek, who is known for her impeccable defensive skills and superior movement on clay courts. Her previous title-winning run in Stuttgart is a testament to the kind of form she is currently in. Grabher might find it challenging to outperform the ace player. Given her form, it’s expected that Swiatek will win the match in straight sets. Tennis fans in the USA can catch the live telecast of the match on Tennis Channel, while those in the UK can tune in through Amazon Prime Video. The match promises to be a nail-biting encounter, with fans eagerly waiting to see how it all unfolds.