The Ostrava Open has been a topsy-turvy affair. Top seeds fell early, talented qualifiers made deep runs, but, in the end, the early favorite, Azarenka, and one of the highest ranked players, Sabalenka, will square off in the final, a rematch of their contest at the US Open.
WTA Ostrava Open Final Predictions – Aryna Sabalenka vs Victoria Azarenka
Aryna Sabalenka vs Victoria Azarenka
Head to head: 1-1
The Ostrava Open final between third seed Aryna Sabalenka and unseeded Victoria Azarenka will be the pair’s first meeting outside of the US Open. In 2019, Sabalenka prevail in three sets, coming back after losing the first, to defeat a subpar Azarenka. Sabaenka did not capitalize on the victory, falling to Yulia Putinseva in the next round. Their most recent meeting was a comfortable route by Azarenka who won in two sets for the loss of only four games. It is that more recent result that more accurately portrays the dynamics at play in the upcoming Ostrava final. Azarenka has been nearly unbeatable on hard courts since the Western and Southern Open with a win record of 15-1 on the surface since that tournament began.
Against Maria Sakkari in the semifinals in Ostrava, Azarenka was imperious. She won easily 6-1, 6-3, diffusing the talented Greek’s game while making 87% of her first serves and creating 13 break point opportunities. Sabalenka also made it through her semifinal in straight sets, but with much less convincing underlying stats. The standout number was her 3/3 breakpoint conversion. More worrying, Jennifer Brady, though she was unable to capitalize, created six break points on Sabalenka’s serve.
Azarenka’s game has been on another level from the rest of the competition all week in Ostrava. Her greatest test so far came against Barbora Krejčiková in the round of 16 where, though she lost the first set, she still found a gear for her game to click into that Krejčiková could not cope with. Since that time she has only become more confident and played at a higher and higher level. Her recent success, and near success, in New York will provide a well of confidence for her to draw on in addition to the exceptional tennis she has displayed thus far in Ostrava. Sabalenka will be a challenging opponent, but one Azarenka has already demonstrated she is more than capable of defeating.
Prediction: Azarenka in 2.
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