Marie Bouzkova 🇨🇿 vs. Lucrezia Stefanini 🇮🇹

🎾 WTA Prague 2025 – Round of 16 Preview

Marie Bouzkova 🇨🇿 vs. Lucrezia Stefanini 🇮🇹

📍 Prague | 🗓️ July 23 | 🎾 Hard (Outdoor)

🧠 Form & Context

Marie Bouzkova
🏠 Home-court heroine: The 2022 Prague champion returns to one of her favorite venues and looked dominant in her R1 rout of Gao Xin (6-0, 6-2).
📈 Rising form: Started the season slowly but has gained momentum since the clay swing, with wins over Azarenka, Haddad Maia, and Kalinskaya.
🎾 Surface strength: Her counterpunching and clean timing are well-suited to hard courts—6–5 record on the surface in 2025, but much better at WTA level.
📊 Grand Slam quality: Went toe-to-toe with Gauff and Sabalenka in recent Slams, indicating near-peak form.

Lucrezia Stefanini
🔥 In good rhythm: One of the busiest players on tour this year, now on a 4-match win streak including qualies.
😮 Dominant R1: Shocked Viktorija Tomova in straight sets, showing high confidence and aggressive execution.
🚑 Fitness concerns: Has dealt with physical issues in 2025 (Strasbourg retirement) and often plays long matches—durability may be a question.
🌍 Underdog mindset: Has thrived without pressure, but facing a local favorite and former champ will be a much tougher task.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This sets up as a stylistic contrast—Bouzkova's methodical rally tolerance versus Stefanini's more aggressive, pace-driven attack. On Prague’s slower hard courts, Bouzkova's clean footwork, shot redirection, and defensive strength give her the advantage in baseline exchanges.

For Stefanini to win, she’ll need to play front-foot tennis—cutting off rallies, attacking second serves, and keeping points short. That’s easier said than done against Bouzkova, who has shown she can absorb pressure and grind out mistake-prone hitters.

The Czech will also have the crowd on her side, and her comfort in these conditions can’t be overstated. Unless Stefanini redlines from start to finish, Bouzkova’s steadiness and local energy should tilt the contest.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Bouzkova in straight sets — Stefanini may threaten early, but the home favorite’s balance, experience, and discipline should shine through in the end.