Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova enter Tuesday's WTA Finals round-robin match with the beaten player facing elimination from the year-end event.
Having lost their tournament openers in the Orange Group, both players are under pressure to secure success in match two.
Match preview
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Even though US Open runner-up Pegula entered her sixth WTA Tour match-up with Coco Gauff leading 4-1 in their head-to-head after clinching three consecutive wins, she was the underdog based on form.
Results before the Finals meant the American No. 1 player was anticipated to end her losing run against last year's runner-up in Cancun, and she claimed a two-set victory in Riyadh.
Fresh off that 3-6, 2-6 loss in her tournament opener, the 2023 finalist aims to get back on the winning trail in the year-end event to put an indifferent run of results behind her.
Pegula entered the tournament with a 3-2 record since her US Open run, and that loss to her compatriot leaves her 3-3 before facing the Wimbledon champion and two-time Grand Slam winner.
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Krejcikova probably left the court wondering how she could not put Iga Swiatek away in Sunday's round-robin opener in the Orange Group.
The 28-year-old seemed in control of her match, taking the opening set and up a double break in the second before a roaring fightback saw Swiatek take the match 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in just over two and a half hours.
Despite a ropey set of results coming into the Finals, losing that advantage was a let-down given the world No. 13's advantageous position in the match.
She heads into Tuesday's match with just one victory in her previous six, highlighting the Wimbledon champion's below-par results.
Having shown some of her best level to take advantage of an out-of-sorts Swiatek, Krejcikova hopes to recover from her tournament-opening setback against the American No. 2.
Tournament so far
Jessica Pegula:
Round Robin: vs. Coco Gauff 3–6 2–6
Barbora Krejcikova:
Round Robin: vs. Iga Swiatek 6–4 5–7 2–6
Head To Head
Dubai (2023) - Semi-final: Krejcikova 6-1 5-7 6-0
Australian Open (2023) - Fourth round: Pegula 7-5 6-2
Pegula and Krejcikova have secured one victory apiece in their head-to-head, with Tuesday's winner taking a 2-1 lead.
While both matches were on hard courts, they have never played in indoor conditions, which adds an extra layer of uncertainty for the American and Czech.
Although the two-time Slam champion is 5-6 since winning Wimbledon in July, her post-Olympics record (2-5) underscores recent struggles on the tour.
We say: Pegula to win in three sets
Neither player has pulled up trees on the tour of late, with Pegula struggling to match her form before the final Grand Slam of the year and Krejcikova unable to string victories together since the Olympics.
Given the American's marginally superior form and doubts about her opponent's physical shape (Krejcikova retired in Ningbo and seemed to fade against Swiatek), we back the world No. 6 to claim the win on Tuesday.
