After a week of thrilling tennis and stunning upsets at the WTA’s Thailand Open, just two women are left standing. But will it be a fairytale finish to the week for the Swiss teenager Leonie Kung or will the experience of Magda Linette win out?
Thailand Open Final Prediction
Leonie Kung vs Magda Linette
Head-to-head: first meeting
Few could have expected the 19-year-old Kung to be stepping onto court for the final when she started her campaign in Hua Hin. But Kung has confounded expectations in a thrilling run that suggests she might have an exceptionally bright future in the game. She stormed through the qualifying without dropping a set, before beating Patcharin Cheapchandej and seventh seed Zhu Lin, also in straight-sets. That set up a quarterfinal clash with the in-form Wang Qiang, seeded third in Hua Hin.
It proved to be an epic, with Kung mastering her nerves magnificently to claim a deserved 7-5 4-6 6-4 win and a place in the semifinals. There she scored another battling win, edging past eighth seed Nao Hibino, who had thrashed world #4 Elina Svitolina in the semifinals. After her exploits so far at the Thailand Open, Kung will surely be full of confidence heading into the final. But she will need to be at her best up against Magda Linette, who has also impressed so far in Hua Hin.
The Pole opened her campaign with a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 win over Kateryna Bondarenko and she backed that up by dispatching Peng Shuai 7-5 6-1 to secure her place in the last eight. There, she rallied past the Chinese young gun Wang Xiyu to reach her first semifinal of the season a 2-6 6-3 6-3 winner. She delivered another fine performance in the semifinals to oust Patricia Maria Tig, breaking the Romanian’s serve five times en route to a 6-4 7-5 win.
Kung has played some superb tennis in Hua Hin, withstanding some heavy pressure from Hibino in the deciding set of their semifinal clash. But one has to wonder if all the tennis she has played will begin to catch up with her. Particularly as Linette is likely to subject her to extended rallies throughout this contest. If Linette can keep Kung moving and take the ball early, particularly on the forehand, she should have just enough to come through what promises to be an enthralling final.
Prediction: Linette in 3
Main photo:
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