Ann Li vs Peyton Stearns Prediction, Picks, Odds, H2H, Stats - 7/16/24

Fresh off her final appearance at Bastad, Ann Li arrives at the Palermo Ladies Open as the underdog against fellow American Peyton Stearns on Tuesday in Italy.

Stearns didn’t fare too well with a few appearances on the grass but she has played extremely well on the clay including a run to the title in Morocco in May.

With odds as high as -150, Stearns is expected to get past Li into the second round of this WTA125 event in Italia but Ej doesn’t think the win will come that easily.

EJ Garr’s Ann Li vs Peyton Stearns prediction features odds at +142 which you can find below, and he expects a lengthy battle to take place in his native Italia.

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Ann Li vs Peyton Stearns Prediction: A Pair of Americans Dueling in Italia

• Prediction: Match Total Over 2.5 Sets
• Best Odds: 2.42
• Bookmaker: Pinnacle
• Stakes: 3/10

Odds updated at 7:00 am UK Time on July 16, 2024. 

Ahh, Sicily. It’s almost home for my family but we’re not here to discuss that and I can’t do this article in Italian because they won’t let me, HA!

Ann Li came within a win of taking the title at Bastad last weekend but a trip to finals should still bring some confidence toward this first-round battle between Americans in Italia. Li lost to Martina Trevisan in the Bastad final, and the Italian is also in this tournament. I have that match covered today too, so look for my Rus vs Trevisan article today.

As you can see, I have my favorite prop on the board for this affair because I expect plenty of tennis to be played in this first-round affair between teammates and friends from here in the U.S.

Peyton Stearns has played 16 matches on clay this season, and 9 of those affairs have gone the distance. On clay, Stearns’ matches are averaging 25.4 games which means her totals have been flying in toward the Over. This total is set at 21 games, although it is a bit pricey at -125, we don’t settle for that juice.

Stearns picked up some quality wins in her run to the title in Morocco on this surface, and the only reason she has a winning record in 2024 is because of her results on the dirt. 

Ann Li has already put 20 wins on clay in her pocket this season, including the run to the Valencia title a month ago. Li reeled off 9 straight wins on the dirt before the loss to Trevisan on Sunday in the Bastad final, so we know she feels comfortable on this surface.

This match is going the distance, and that’s how we’ll cash the Over 2.5 Sets at +142.

ANN LI RECENT FORM

Ann Li is 9 – 1 in her last 10 clay matches and has appeared in the final in her last two tournaments on the dirt. I mentioned she ran off 9 straight wins on this surface before losing in the finals to Trevisan in Bastad.

Li is 3 – 8 on hardcourts and frass this season but with 20 wins on clay, her overall record is 23 – 16 in 2024. Ann committed to the clay season for the first time last year and was 15 – 9. 

PEYTON STEARNS RECENT FORM

Peyton Stearns got her first career title win on clay this season in Morocco, and over the last two seasons, the American has a record of 30 – 12 on the dirt. 

Stearns broke into the top 50 of the rankings for the first time last year after a 45 – 23 campaign that included a 19 – 7 record on clay.

LI VS STEARNS HTH –  STAT OF THE MATCH

Ann Li and Peyton Stearns have met once on tour in 2019 at Lexington, and Li came away with the straight-sets win, 7 – 5, 6 – 3. 

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