



On January 17, Paula Badosa and Marta Kostyuk are set to face off at the Australian Open. Here’s my analysis and prediction for this exciting and potentially intense matchup.
Also read: SuperSport United vs Polokwane City prediction, H2H & Probable Line-ups – January 17, 2025
Paula Badosa
The well-known Spaniard had an impressive rise last season, climbing over 50 spots in the rankings. Now ranked 12th in the world, she’s on the verge of breaking back into the top 10. However, her performances in the lead-up to the Australian Open were lackluster. She lost her opening match in Brisbane to Avanesyan and fell in the second round in Adelaide to the relatively unheralded Krueger.
Badosa started this major with a challenging win over a strong Chinese player, Wang, 6-3, 7-6, rallying from 1-3 down in the first set. In the second round, she made quick work of Australian wildcard Gibson, winning 6-1, 6-0. While Badosa is a high-caliber player, this match against Kostyuk is expected to be a tough one.
Marta Kostyuk
The Ukrainian is seen as a potential breakthrough player, though she still struggles with consistency. When Kostyuk is at her best, she delivers exceptional performances. Like Badosa, she had a rough start to the season, losing her opening matches in Brisbane and Adelaide.
At the Australian Open, however, Kostyuk has stepped up. She overcame a tough match against Hibino in the first round, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, and dominated in the second round, defeating Germany’s Jule Niemeier, 6-3, 6-0. At 22 years old and ranked 18th in the world, Kostyuk is poised to challenge top players.
Match Facts
- Badosa has won three of her five matches this season.
- Kostyuk has won two of her four matches in 2024.
- Bookmakers consider Badosa a slight favorite.
Head-to-Head
The players have faced each other four times on three different surfaces, with Badosa leading the head-to-head 3-1.
Prediction
On paper, Badosa is a slight favorite, but this match promises to be highly competitive and unpredictable. Both players are ranked in the top 20 and capable of delivering high-level tennis. Kostyuk could catch fire and produce an outstanding performance. This match is unlikely to end quickly, so I recommend betting on the total games to exceed 20.5.