And then there were two. The final is set at the WTA Stuttgart Tennis Grand Prix and it features world #1 Ashleigh Barty against world #7 Aryna Sabalenka. Both have played superb tennis all week and are deserving of a chance to fight for the title. They have contrasting styles that have proved equally effective at brushing aside the opposition so far this week. But who will lift the title in Stuttgart?
WTA Stuttgart Tennis Grand Prix Final Prediction
Ashleigh Barty vs Aryna Sabalenka
Head-to-head: Barty 3-3 Sabalenka
Given her past struggles on clay, it seemed unlikely that Sabalenka would go deep in Stuttgart. She’s now in the final after thrashing Simona Halep – a pre-tournament favourite and elite clay-court player – for the loss of just five games. Sabalenka has controlled her immense power brilliantly so far this week. She has hung about in rallies and waited patiently for her opportunities, something she has struggled with on the red dirt in the past. The Abu Dhabi champion is showing that her remarkable rise over the past eight months or so is not limited to her preferred hard courts. She has made massive strides on clay too and is now a threat to win pretty much every tournament she plays.
Hoping to put an end to what has been a stellar week for Sabalenka is Barty. The Australian has wasted little time proving that she still deserves her #1 ranking. She has a chance to win back-to-back trophies in 2021 if she wins this final, having defender her Miami Open crown earlier in the month. The Aussie looks to have used her time away from the tour well, with her serve looking better than ever and her conventional backhand far more secure than it has been in the past. Chief among her weapons is still her backhand slice with all it’s variations. Following closely behind are her superb serve and heavy forehand. Barty will need all three to be firing if she is to stop the steam train that is Sabalenka in what should be an epic final match.
This match really could go either way if these two continue playing at their respective levels across the last week. If they do, this could well be one of the matches of the year. Sabalenka’s ability to remain patient will be tested to the max by Barty in this encounter. Likewise, the Australian will have to cope with power she hasn’t yet faced in Stuttgart. But Barty has enough variety to really trouble Sabalenka here. The Belarusian has coped will with awkward players so far this week, but none have the court craft of Barty. When Sabalenka gets on a roll she is very hard to stop. If she does that here, she will win a set at the very least. But it is hard to see her being able to sustain it over two sets though.
Prediction: Barty in 3
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