Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Roland Garros match.
As Roland Garros enters the business end of the tournament, there are no easy matches left on the schedule. Daria Kasatkina and Paula Badosa go head-to-head in a finely poised third-round clash, with both players eyeing a spot in the last 16. Their head-to-head record is evenly split, and neither has shown consistently dominant form of late.
Daria Kasatkina
Currently ranked No.17, Kasatkina has struggled to find her rhythm on clay this season, posting just four wins in eight matches. In fact, she was eliminated from four consecutive tournaments in the first or second round leading into Paris. While she has advanced past the early stages in the French capital, it’s come against lower-ranked opposition — Leolia Jeanjean (No.100) and Katerina Siniakova (No.63). Even then, Kasatkina dropped a set to the Czech and posted underwhelming serving numbers, winning just 55% of points behind her first serve. Her recent record against top-10 opponents is also a concern, with four defeats in her last five.
Paula Badosa
Currently No.10 in the WTA rankings, Badosa hasn’t had a smooth ride either, needing three sets to get past Naomi Osaka (No.49) and Elena-Gabriela Ruse (No.80). Yet the Spaniard has shown admirable grit, recovering from a set down in both matches. Her serve has been a major weapon, producing nine aces and winning 70% of points on her first delivery across those encounters. Badosa has also been dominant against older opponents, winning 11 of her last 14 such matchups. Against Kasatkina, their rivalry stands at 3-3, but it’s Badosa who took the last two completed meetings — including one on clay in Stuttgart.
Daria Kasatkina vs Paula Badosa Prediction
Neither player arrives in flawless form, but Badosa appears better equipped to weather the battle. She’s shown stronger mental resilience, more consistent serving, and the ability to adapt mid-match — all of which could prove decisive given Kasatkina’s fragile confidence and misfiring serve.
