Jason Collins
Dailysports's expert
Alexandra Eala
Iga Swiatek
On March 26, Aleksandra Eala will face Iga Swiatek at the Miami tournament. Here's my take on betting for this intriguing event.
Aleksandra Eala
The Filipino tennis player has become the main sensation at the Miami tournament. The 19-year-old athlete was little known to fans but has now made a loud statement. Eala entered the main draw only thanks to a special offer, as she holds a modest 140th place in the world rankings.
In each of her matches at this tournament, she was the underdog, first defeating Katie Volynets 6-3, 7-6, then the well-known Jelena Ostapenko 7-6, 7-5, and in the third round, she knocked out this year's Australian Open winner, Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-2. She didn't have to play against Badosa as her opponent withdrew from the tournament before the match.
Iga Swiatek
The Pole needs no introduction. The 23-year-old athlete is the world's second-ranked player and is among the favorites at every tournament. Despite her good play, Swiatek has yet to claim a title this season, reaching only three semifinals, which is clearly not enough for Iga.
At this tournament, she started from the second round, defeating Caroline Garcia 6-2, 7-5, followed by a victory over Elise Mertens 7-6, 6-1. Swiatek won her last match against the experienced Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 7-6, 6-3. It's time for titles, and perhaps she can achieve this in Miami.
Match facts
- Eala has played 20 matches this season, winning 13 of them.
- Swiatek has won 21 out of 26 matches this season.
- Here are the odds for the upcoming battle: P1 – 12, P2 – 1.04.
Prediction
It's not hard to guess that this is their first meeting, as the Filipino has rarely played at such a high level. Swiatek is the undisputed favorite in this duo, and Eala could falter psychologically, having already shown phenomenal results for herself. I think the Pole will control the course of the match, and I find betting on her to win with a handicap of -6.5 games to be a viable option.
