Garbine Muguruza vs Maria Sharapova
Garbine Muguruza and Maria Sharapova are now set for what could be an epic quarter-final showdown between two former French Open titlists that have a statement to make.
Both WTA players made it to the last eight without breaking a sweat, thanks to injuries that forced their fourth-round opponents to withdraw. However, while that will give them an extra motivation to prove they deserve to be here, it’s not like they need it considering what’s at stake for them.
Sharapova is through to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2016 and will be hoping to re-establish her name since the doping controversy that almost ruined her professional career.
Meanwhile, Muguruza is aiming to restore her former glory at Roland Garros and is undoubtedly brimming with confidence as she continues to take command of the French Open betting odds with her brilliant display in the tournament.
Talking Points
Well, how odd is it for two players to reach the quarter-finals having won just a combined two games in the fourth round?
Weird and funny as it may seem but that’s exactly what happened to Muguruza and Sharapova who will both be well-rested when they fight.
Sharapova is probably frustrated after missing the chance to renew her rivalry with Serena Williams, who withdrew even before they play each other. The 23-time Grand Slam champion cited an issue with her pectoral muscle that limits her ability to serve.
Nonetheless, Sharapova can consider that a lucky break as she’ll be facing Muguruza who was also handed an easy way to the quarters. After just two games—which Muguruza dominated—Lesia Tsurenko retired due to a leg injury.
Both Sharapova and Muguruza now move to the last eight with a pair of fresh legs, each having played 16 games or less in their last two matches. So much for rest advantage, huh?
Sharapova will look back at her performance against Karolina Pliskova to get some added confidence. She bullied the World No.6 Pliskova in straight sets, giving the Czech no chance at all.
Muguruza acknowledged the threat that Sharapova brings, especially when the Russian’s serve is firing on all cylinders.
“I saw her match against Pliskova the other day, and she played extraordinarily well,” Muguruza said. “She’s played very good matches. I haven’t played against her for a while. She’s in quarter-finals and I’m really looking forward to playing her.”
For the 24-year-old Muguruza, though, she is in great form herself as she is yet to drop a set in the tournament. In fact, she has never been threatened in a game besides her meeting with Svetlana Kuznetsova in the opener where she needed a tie-breaker to win the first set.
History
Sharapova and Muguruza have three French Open titles between them, so it’s quite surprising that the last time they met was in 2014.
The 31-year-old Sharapova has won all three meetings with the Spaniard, including a three-setter in the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2014. The Russian star eventually won her second Roland-Garros title that year.
It should be noted, however, that it was in the same 2014 tournament that Muguruza rose to the spotlight after she handed Serena Williams a second-round defeat. Muguruza went on to win two major titles after that, the French Open in 2016 and the Wimbledon title in 2017.
Muguruza said “a lot of things have changed” since then, so it might be a foolish act to read too much into their head-to-head record.
What are the odds?
SBOBET odds have the higher-ranked Muguruza as the clear favourite, with the Spaniard at Money Line odds of 1.79 and Sharapova at 2.05.
Nevertheless, SBOBET Asian Handicap sports betting expect the match-up to go the distance, as proven by Muguruza’s -1.50 handicap that pays at 2.92—these odds despite the fact that the World No.3 has not lost a set all tournament long.
Sharapova, meanwhile, is at +1.50 that gives low odds of 1.36.
Another indication that the contest will be a tight affair is the game handicap odds that put Muguruza at -1.00 @ 1.89 while Sharapova is at +1.00 @ 1.95.
Other notable match-ups
French Open Women’s Singles QF
- Sloane Stephens vs Daria Kasatkina: Fresh from stunning World No.2 Caroline Wozniacki, 21-year-old Daria Kasatkina will look to build on the momentum she got to beat reigning US Open champions Sloane Stephens.
- Simona Halep vs Angelique Kerber: After crushing Elise Mertens, top-seeded Halep is now the favourite to win the tournament and her first Grand Slam title. Kerber knows how to win the majors but won’t fancy her chances at Roland Garros where she is yet to go beyond the quarter-finals.
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