Abu Dhabi Open: Pliskova vs Muguruza Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Abu Dhabi Open as Karolina Pliskova takes on Garbine Muguruza in the first round on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

We have a first-round meeting at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open between two former No. 1s. Karolina Pliskova will be looking to add more agony to Garbine Muguruza’s poor start to the season.

Despite falling down the pecking order, Karolina Pliskova played a super tournament Down Under. She reached the quarterfinal at the Australian Open, blasting her way into the second week without dropping a set. But like most of the power hitters before her, she was tamed by the surprise package of the tournament Magda Linette. But Pliskova left Melbourne with her reputation harnessed and has re-entered the world’s Top 20. She will lock horns against a familiar foe in Garbine Muguruza in an enticing first-round match at the Abu Dhabi Open.

Garbine Muguruza, by contrast, is winless at the start of the 2023 season. In fact, the last time the Spaniard collected a WTA win was way back in September when she defeated Despina Papamichail in Tokyo. Since then, Muguruza’s search for wins appears to be an unending dark pit. She has fallen down to a lowly World No. 82 on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Open and has required a wild card to enter the main draw.

Karolina Pliskova leads Garbine Muguruza 9-2 in their head-to-head. Pliskova has also won their last three meetings including their WTA finals match in 2021. Muguruza has regressed badly in the past year. We thought starting over on a clean slate in 2023 was the kind of tonic she needed, but it looks like it will only get worse before she is able to rediscover her winning touch. It would be a shocker if the Czech doesn’t add to Muguruza’s woes at the Abu Dhabi Open.