WTA Brisbane got off to a flying start on Monday with some excellent tennis on display. The quality only improves on Tuesday with some mouth-watering match-ups to preview and predict.
WTA Brisbane Day 2 Predictions
Kiki Bertens vs Dayana Yastremska
Head-to-Head Record: Bertens 2-0 Yastremska
Yastremska will try for a third time in recent month to blow Kiki Bertens off the court with power and speed. The young Ukranian certainly has the heavy groundstrokes to be able to do that to most players, but Bertens has been more than equal to it recently.
This is one match in which the previous meetings are completely relevant. Both took place only a few months ago, both on hard surfaces, and Bertens won both in two sets. The Dutchwoman was able to use her speed to defend against the youngster but also had the power in her own game to trouble Yastremska from the back of the court. Bertens has also won an incredible 24 consecutive first-round matches.
Yastremska is definitely a huge talent in the WTA and she will make waves this season. This match may be a tough start for her though. Take Bertens to edge a close encounter, because Yastremska will improve from their last two matches.
Prediction: Bertens in 3
Maria Sharapova vs Jennifer Brady
Head-to-Head Record: Sharapova 1-0 Brady
Maria Sharapova has clearly struggled to get back to her top-level since returning to the sport from her ban. 2019 was a terrible season for her. The Russian played only fourteen matches in total and won only half of those. She played a lot of the main events but failed to win more than two matches at any of them.
However, there were positive signs in Abu Dhabi as she won an exhibition match against Ajla Tomljanovic. Sharapova was able to be aggressive but retain some accuracy and depth on the ball against the Aussie, something that will be key if she is to emerge victorious from a battle against Brady.
The American cruised through qualification. She showed supreme form against Storm Sanders on Monday, demonstrating her famous competitive spirit in the first set to nick it 9-7 in a tie-break and then turning on the gas to dominate the second. Add this to the dismantling of Di Lorenzo and Paquet earlier in the week and it is fair to say that Brady will feel confident heading into the Sharapova match.
Until Sharapova puts a run of convincing performances together she simply can’t be considered a great favourite for matches such as these. Take Brady to continue her hot streak into the main draw as she could be too powerful for the 32-year-old Russian.
Prediction: Brady in 2
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Petra Kvitova
Head-to-Head Record: Kvitova 7-4 Pavlyuchenkova
These two players have a long history with eleven previous matches going back to 2008. They broke through onto the tour at around the same time as each other, but undoubtedly Kvitova has had more success.
Pavlyuchenkova is currently hanging on to top 32 spot in the rankings but only barely. The Russian scored no titles at all in 2019 but that disguises a promising end to her campaign. The 29-year-old reached finals in two WTA Premier events towards the end of the year, losing to Naomi Osaka in Osaka and Belinda Bencic in Moscow. Though she would have been disappointed to lose from a set up in her home event there were a lot of positives to take into 2020 for Pavlyuchenkova.
2019 was very frustrating for Petra Kvitova. From coming so close to an Australian Open triumph and winning two events early in the year it became a real struggle. The Czech missed a lot of events through the summer with injury and finished the season unable to win a single match at the WTA Finals.
Kvitova appears to be starting the season at something close to full fitness and if this is the case then the match should be on her racquet. Both players can be erratic when they are off and it may be the case of whoever can shake off the rust early will go on to win the match. Kvitova’s excellent record in Australia suggests she is capable of doing this so take her for the victory.
Prediction: Kvitova in 3
Maria Sakkari vs Naomi Osaka
Head-to-Head Record: Osaka 2-1 Sakkari
All of this pair’s matches have been recent and on hard or grass surfaces so the form is relevant. Each of the matches has been close, both of Osaka’s wins coming in three sets and Sakkari taking her on a second set tiebreak 10-8. It would be fair to assume then that this match-up could be a close one.
Sakkari will get the support of a section of the crowd at least due to the Greek diaspora resident in Australia. However, Osaka is a very popular figure these days, especially in Australia, the scene of her last Grand Slam triumph last year.
The Japanese comes into this match on the back of a eleven-match winning streak. She had won in Osaka and Beijing back-to-back until withdrawing from the WTA Finals after just one match. Osaka seems to have recovered from that withdrawal though and is favourite to progress here.
Sakkari had a real breakthrough year in 2019. The Greek had been hovering around inside the top 50 for a couple of years but finally won her maiden WTA title in Rabat in May. This was followed up by numerous appearances in the final stages of Premier tournaments. The key now for Sakkari is to try and find a way past the biggest players on the biggest stages.
It is difficult to look past Osaka in this match-up. She would have preferred an easier start to 2020 than playing Sakkari but this may renew her focus more pointedly. Expect a battle as Sakkari doesn’t know how to lie down for anybody, but Osaka’s greater variety and accuracy should see her through.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
