Iga Swiatek is back to winning matches as we're used to, and she'll look to continue that against compatriot Magda Linette at the 2023 China Open in Beijing.
The Polish player had a really short stay in Tokyo getting beaten by an inspired Veronika Kudermetova who ended up winning that event. She looked quite rusty at that event and admitted as much with her matches in Beijing looking far better.
Both of her performances were quite dominant, and she'll be looking to keep that going against compatriot Magda Linette, who recently discovered her form from earlier in the year when she was brilliant at the Australian Open.
She faced Jennifer Brady in the previous and advanced following her retirement. Swiatek will be much tougher though they never played before.
Head-to-head:
Even if they never played against each other on the WTA Tour, the players are quite familiar with each other due to being Billie Jean King Cup teammates. In some ways, they even play similar styles, though Swiatek is obviously the far more dominant player.
Prediction:
Whether she will dominate her compatriot remains to be seen, but she has all the tools to do so. Linette is a very capable hitter from the baseline, but I wouldn't necessarily describe her as a consistent one. She's better than most on Tour, yet not as good as the best players.
To beat Swiatek, she'll need one of those Top 10 worthy performances because Swiatek will send many precise balls her way. Iga also moves very well around the court, allowing her to create even better angles.
To be completely honest, I don't see how Linette wins that match. Yes, she's good and solid and has played well, but the talent difference is too big to overcome. She has few weapons, so I don't see it happening. Doesn't mean that it can't but I don't see it happening.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in two sets.
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