Now in it’s fifth edition, the WTA Elite Trophy returns on Tuesday with 12 of the world’s best players in the field. There looks set to be plenty of entertaining tennis to come in Zhuhai, but who will come out on top on day one?
WTA Elite Trophy Day One Predictions
Aryna Sabalenka vs Maria Sakkari
Head-to-head: Sakkari 1-0 Sabalenka
It’s no secret that Aryna Sabalenka plays some of her best tennis in Asia. Over the past two years, she has won more consistently during the Asian swing than at any other time in the year. And after successfully defending her title at the Wuhan Open, she will surely be full of confidence this week. That said, Maria Sakkari has enjoyed a career-best season and won this pair’s only previous meeting, which came earlier this season in Cincinnati.
But she has been struggling with her fitness since the end of what was a productive North American summer hard-court swing and has played just one tournament since the US Open, losing in the first round at the Kremlin Cup. With the Greek certain to be short of match sharpness as a result, expect Sabalenka to win comfortably.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
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Kiki Bertens vs Donna Vekic
Head-to-head: Bertens 3-3 Vekic
Until last week, Kiki Bertens looked to be in good position to reach the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, despite a mid-season slump after her second-round retirement at the French Open. But her loss in the quarterfinals at the Kremlin Cup coupled with Belinda Bencic’s run to the title in Moscow saw the Swiss pip her to the post. Now the top seed in Zhuhai instead, it will be interesting to see how the Dutchwoman manages that disappointment.
Donna Vekic, meanwhile, has had a good year, but her form has fallen away since she reached the US Open quarterfinals and she failed to win back-to-back matches during the Asian swing. With neither player in great form and nothing to split them so far in their rivalry this should be a close contest. But Bertens will surely have a point to prove after missing out on Shenzhen. Expect that to fire her to victory in Zhuhai.
Prediction: Bertens in 3
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Madison Keys vs Zheng Saisai
Head-to-head: Keys 1-0 Zheng
Zheng Saisai won the biggest title of her career at the start of August in San Jose, but it ultimately turned into a summer of disappointment for the Chinese star. She won only one more match in North America and that poor form continued into the Asian swing, where she suffered a number of disappointingly early exits. But she does have the game to cause the rest of the field in Zhuhai real problems if she can rediscover her best tennis.
Madison Keys, meanwhile, remains frustratingly inconsistent, with persistent injuries not helping her cause. But at her best, as she showed during her run to the title in Cincinnati, she remains a superb player and, despite a poor showing during the Asian swing, after the better part of three weeks off court, she should be fit and firing at the WTA Elite Trophy. She has the power to hit Zheng off the court and she should be able to do just that.
Prediction: Keys in 2
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