Ashleigh Barty vs Garbine Muguruza
27th February 1700hrs
Tennis – Doha – WTA
Pick Barty To Win
Bookmaker Bet365
Odds: 8/13 odds taken 0236 GMT, Thursday 27th February
It’s a heavyweight duel in the quarter-finals of WTA Doha on Thursday. We have ourselves a thrilling clash between Ashleigh Barty and Garbine Muguruza to look forward to. This was very nearly what the final of the Australian Open 2020 was going to be, but it didn’t quite pan out. But now we get to enjoy these two going at it.
Table of Contents
Barty looking back on track
Ashleigh Barty lost in the semi-finals of her home Grand Slam in Melbourne earlier this year. She was ousted by eventual winner Sofia Kenin. But the world number one has had a pretty good 2020 nonetheless.
Before the Australian Open, she had taken the title at the WTA Adelaide event. She is now up to a 9/2 win/loss record for 2020 after her successes so far in Doha.
Barty opened with an easy straight-sets win over Laura Siegmund and then made it through to the quarter-finals thanks to a walkover against one of the calendar year’s top players, Elena Rybakina. The Ukranian pulled out through injury.
So reaching the quarter-finals of a Premier 5 tier tournament with only having played one game is where Barty is at. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Will the lack of time on the court be a benefit because of energy levels or detrimental because of lack of match sharpness?
Either way, Barty is the top-ranked player in the world and she has won 82% of her service games this season. She is up around the 75% mark of first serves won as well.
Spain’s Muguruza fired up for 2020
After reaching the final of the Australian Open, getting past Simona Halep in the semi’s, Garbine Muguurza looks back to her best. The Spaniard has met Barty twice before in singles. The first of those ended in defeat on the grass at Birmingham in 2017.
That same year they met again in Toronto on a hard court and Muguruza took the win. Both of those matches went to three sets. Muguruza has done some work in this tournament. She opened in the very first round with a tough battle over Daria Kastkaina.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Things were easier for her in the second round as she beat Ajla Tomljanovic, dropping just three games in a quick victory. It was a relatively smooth passage for her then past Dayana Yastremsnka in the third round, winning in straight sets.
Yastremska had beaten Sofia Kenin in the second round, denying Muguruza a chance to battle her Australian Open final conqueror Kenin again. Her stats show how well she is going, Muguruza having won 75% of service games and 71% of first serves in 2020. She has now been to at least the quarter-finals in all tournaments played this year.
Ashleigh Barty vs Garbine Muguruza Betting Advice
This is a tough game for both of them. We have to side with Barty though. She has converted almost 53% of break points this year and so when it comes to those crucial moments, she may just have the edge. Muguruza has, in contrast, taken 35% of her break point chances successfully.
Key Facts – Ashleigh Barty vs Garbine Muguruza Betting Tip
- Ashleigh Barty is the world number one
- Ashleigh Barty has only played one match in this tournament
- Garbine Muguruza is level at 1-1 in the head to head with Barty
You do wonder how the whole Barty having played 1 match and Muguruza 3 thing is going to play out. The more likely scenario is that it will point to Barty having stronger legs rather than any decline in match sharpness.
The best betting odds for Ashleigh Barty vs Garbine Muguruza
Ashleigh Barty to win: 8/13 at Bet365
Garbine Muguruza: 13/10 at Bet365
