Emma Raducanu v Jessica Pegula: Prediction, Tips and Odds

British favourite Emma Raducanu has raised her game to make the quarter-final in Miami, showing some of the old sparkle that helped her claim the US Open title in 2021, but a tough test awaits against American fourth seed Jessica Pegula.

Raducanu has largely underwhelmed since her Grand Slam heroics four years ago, failing to add another title to her collection, but the signs in Miami have been seriously encouraging.

The 22-year-old, who evidently still has time on her side to find herself on the WTA Tour, outclassed Sayaka Ishii in her opening-round assignment and has since claimed a trio of American victims - beating Emma Navarro before overcoming McCartney Kessler and Amanda Anisimova.

That form reads well, but in world number four Pegula she faces one of the WTA Tour’s elite and may struggle to match the American under her beloved quick conditions.

Pegula was a title winner in Austin earlier this month and she looked razor sharp in her latest 6-2 6-3 victory over Marta Kostyuk, suggesting that she may be getting even stronger with silverware in her sights.

Emma Raducanu v Jessica Pegula betting tips and predictions

Jessica Pegula to win 2-0 - 11/10

Raducanu deserves heaps of praise for turning a difficult season around in Miami and there was a lot to like about her last-16 performance against Anisimova.

The Brit took just over an hour to record a 6-1 6-3 win and, when you consider Anisimova had won silverware in Doha in the middle of February, that form has a good look to it.

The issue is that this is arguably the biggest match that Raducanu has contested since her US Open final win nearly four years ago and consistency has not been her strong point.

Raducanu will also need to step up again against a player of Pegula’s calibre, with the world number four having lost only one of her last 11 matches.

This is a tournament Pegula consistently thrives in and she is featuring in her fourth straight quarter-final in Miami, having made the last four in 2022 and 2023.

In front of her home crowd and on a quick surface, Pegula is extremely dangerous and that was highlighted by her run to last season’s US Open final, when she found only world number one Aryna Sabalenka too good.

While Raducanu is clearly rediscovering her A-game and another title triumph should be in the offing sooner rather than later, Pegula is a seven-time winner on the WTA Tour and has claimed three of those victories at Masters 1000 level.

Pegula was in the winner’s enclosure in Austin as recently as the start of March and she is likely to handle the pressure of this situation much the best.

With that in mind, taking Pegula to win 2-0 - something she has done in eight of her last 10 victories - may be the value approach at 11/10.

Emma Raducanu to serve 5+ double faults in the match - 6/4

Raducanu’s serve has been holding up in Miami and that is why she is enjoying great success, however, Pegula is one of the best returners in the business and with that comes pressure for the Brit.

She will know she needs to serve bigger and better again and that was the case in her three-set win over world number 10 Navarro in round two, when she made eight double faults.

And that could be the scenario against Pegula, who wasn’t aced once in her latest 6-2 6-3 victory over Kostyuk.

These two players have met twice previously, winning once each, and Raducanu has made 12 double faults across those two rivalries, suggesting that Pegula’s defensive skills can frustrate her.

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Emma Raducanu v Jessica Pegula odds

Emma Raducanu - 7/4
Jessica Pegula - 4/9

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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