Iva Jovic vs Jasmine Paolini Prediction Ningbo Open - Ningbo · Oct 22, 2026

Analysis

Paolini walks into this second round already match-tight, having come through her opener 2-0 against Anhelina Kalinina on 20 October and backed up by a 2-0 win over Sara Bejlek on 12 October, with the only recent blemish a 1-2 loss to Daria Snigur on 2 October. Jovic's own hard-court run has been solid: 2-0 against Kamilla Rakhimova and 2-1 against Harriet Dart in early October, plus straight-sets wins over Peyton Stearns and Cristina Bucsa in September, and her 0-2 defeat to Iga Swiatek on 7 October came against about the toughest assignment available. Stylistically this is a clear contrast — Jovic's height, flat first-strike groundstrokes and bigger serve against Paolini's outstanding footspeed, depth and knack for absorbing pace and redirecting it. On a medium-paced Ningbo hard court, where consistency and movement matter as much as raw power, the Italian's return game and her comfort in tight closing stages are the difference-makers. Jovic has the firepower to shorten rallies and steal a set, so a decider is a genuine possibility, but Paolini should edge the key moments.