United Cup 2023: Petra Martic vs Nadia Podoroska Tennis Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2023 United Cup as Petra Martic takes on Nadia Podoroska in the group stages on Sunday, January 1, 2023.

Croatia lead Argentina 2-0 in their tie, and will have the chance to extend their lead and win this tie. Petra Martic will need to beat Nadia Podoroska to do just that, but could an upset be on the cards?

There is a real buzz within this Croatia team. From their heroics at the last two World Cups by the men’s football team, it looks like the tennis contingent has been inspired to reprise that achievement at the United Cup. Croatia’s campaign got off to a great start in Perth, with Borna Coric and Donna Vekic both winning in straight sets. Now Petra Martic, the veteran star of this team will have the opportunity to confirm Croatia’s win in the tie. But will she come unstuck against Nadia Podoroska?

Heading into the New Year, Argentina are one of four teams without a match win at the United Cup. In fact, their eyebrow-raising 0-7 deficit is the biggest in the tournament thus far. Something has to change. And Nadia Podoroska, who is their biggest WTA star, will need to produce the goods on Sunday. Podoroska is a former Grand Slam semifinalist, so she is unfazed by the occasion or the stage, but injuries have clearly derailed her match rhythm and momentum in the past couple of seasons. She faces another tough assignment in the form of Petra Martic in a crucial encounter in Perth.

Petra Martic leads Nadia Podoroska 1-0 in their head-to-head. The tall Croat won their encounter on the clay of Rome in 2021 in three sets. That was on Podoroska’s best surface, which adds to her growing difficulty at the United Cup. Martic has the bigger tools to excel on the hard courts of Perth. Her serve is particularly potent as is her forehand which she can generate sufficient pace to hit through Podoroska. Surely, the Argentine won’t play as badly as she did against Caroline Garcia, but she is still likely to fall short again.