The 2019 tennis season is now rapidly approaching its conclusion with the autumn’s Asian Swing well-underway. Much of the focus of the tennis world will be on China, where a number of the WTA’s brightest lights are contesting the Wuhan Open. But there is also tour-level action in Uzbekistan at the Tashkent Open and an intriguing week of tennis should be on the cards. As always, we here at LWOT are offering predictions on as many matches from Tashkent as possible. But who will advance on day one in the Uzbek capital?
Tashkent Open Day One Predictions
Sorana Cirstea vs Denisa Allertova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Sorana Cirstea, once ranked as high as 21st in the world, is not the force she once was and has struggled badly for consistency of late. Though she impressed in reaching the third round at the US Open, the two victories she scored there are her only wins since Roland Garros and that is a poor return for a player of her ability. Denisa Allertova too has found wins on tour hard to come by. But below tour-level she has been most impressive of late, reaching the final of two ITF events in the Czech Republic during the summer and qualifying for the US Open. And winning, regardless of the level, tends to be a habit. One she should be in good stead to continue at Cirstea’s expense.
Prediction: Allertova in 3
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Vitalia Diatchenko vs Katarzyna Kawa
Head-to-head: Diatchenko 1-0 Kawa
Vitalia Diatchenko’s rather unorthodox approach, the Russian is one of few players to play two-handed on both sides, can be very effective. She showed as much in taking the first set off Serena Williams at Roland Garros for the loss of just two games. But she can lose her rhythm swiftly, as she showed by going on to lose that match 6-2 1-6 0-6. The question is: will Katarzyna Kawa be able to unsettle Diatchenko? She proved unable to do so in their only previous contest, which Diatchenko one at a canter in 2014. But the Pole has improved considerably since. Expect her to avenge that defeat at the Tashkent Open.
Prediction: Kawa in 3
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Kateryna Bondarenko vs Greet Minnen
Head-to-head: first meeting
Kateryna Bondarenko enjoyed some very impressive results during her career, not least winning the women’s doubles title at the Australian Open and reaching the quarterfinals in singles at the US Open a year later. The Ukrainian also won the Tashkent Open two years ago. But she has played very little tennis of late and this will be her first match of the year. Greet Minnen, in contrast, has enjoyed a fine season and last week qualified for the Korea Open in Seoul. She should prove too strong for the returning Bondarenko.
Prediction: Minnen in 2
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Jelena Ostapenko vs Katarina Zavatska
Head-to-head: first meeting
Jelena Ostapenko’s 2017 French Open triumph now seems a long time ago. The Latvian has enjoyed some good runs since and is still just 22, but she is remarkably inconsistent and has done little of note so far this season. Katarina Zavatska, meanwhile, looks to have a bright future and acquitted herself well in Guangzhou last week, coming through the qualifying to reach the second round. Still, this is a match that is on Ostapenko’s racquet. If she can temper her power with accuracy, she should be able to hit through Zavatska with regularity and book her place in the second round at the Tashkent Open.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
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