The final is set at the WTA Cluj Open in Romania. The final is a bit of a surprise with both finalists unseeded. However, both Jasmine Paolini and Anna Blinkova knocked out seeded players in their respective semifinal matches. They both have a lot to fight for in their first final of 2022, with Blinkova playing in the first tour-level final in her career. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our prediction for the final, but who will come out on top?
WTA Cluj Final Prediction
Jasmine Paolini vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: Paolini 2-2 Blinkova
They have split their two prior meetings, though Paolini has won the two most recent. Both of those were played on clay, Paolini’s best surface. She has significantly improved in hard over the last two seasons and her lone career title came last September on a hard court. Blinkova can play on all surfaces and has had a great run to the final coming from qualifying. She has beaten two seeds in consecutive matches both after dropping the first set.
Paolini has been slightly more convincing in her wins this week, but it should be a competitive matchup between two players with a lot of fight. Blinkova has a good serve and enjoys the fast indoor hard court. She will have to serve better against Paolini to win, as she was broken 16 times in her four main draw matches. Paolini is 8 inches (20 cm) shorter than Blinkova, so she relies on a grinding game from the baseline and is a danger in all return games.
The Italian has broken serve an incredible 20 times in her four matches in Cluj. Paolini will be able to get to Blinkova’s serve and get important breaks. Blinkova has a good serve but will have to find better form than she has had so far this week. Paolini has experience winning the final and looks like the slightly better player this week, and she will win a back-and-forth battle to capture her second career title.
Prediction: Paolini in 3
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