Noma Noha Akugue vs Arantxa Rus is not a final that anyone would have predicted before the WTA 250 in Hamburg began, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect a high-quality contest. Both players are at this stage of a Tour-level event for the first time. It’s just that Arantxa Rus is 32 years old, while Noha Akugue is just 19. Who do you think will clinch the title at the 2023 Hamburg European Open?
WTA Hamburg Final Prediction
Noma Noha Akugue vs Arantxa Rus
Head-to-head: First meeting
Noma Noha Akugue has long been perceived as a prospect, but her inability to peak during a prolonged patch of play wasn’t allowing her to breakthrough just yet. Despite rather unimpressive ITF results this year, she received a main draw wild card for Hamburg and made use of it to find that quantum leap in her career. In the second round, she saved two match points on return against Storm Hunter and has been holding up under pressure incredibly well.
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But this is also the first WTA final for Arantxa Rus. A legend of the ITF Tour with 32 titles (a record 10 in a single season in 2019), before this year she had never won a title above the 80K level. Recently she grabbed a couple of WTA 125Ks in La Bisbal and Contrexeville. Going so deep at a tour-level event was still uncharted territory for her though and she managed to achieve that on a brilliant streak of 14 wins in her last 15 matches.
As this will be the biggest match of both players’ careers, you could certainly imagine this one becoming a very nervy affair. Rus could have the edge in handling the situation with her experience in finals at all the possible levels besides this one. With her control-oriented style and a topspin lefty forehand, she will be looking to keep the German on the move and push her behind the baseline. Noha Akugue is more of a hotshot with a very high ceiling and an unpredictable game. The 19-year-old needs to maintain that aggression in such an important match and she might have a shot if she does, but it’s not looking all that likely.
Prediction: Rus in 3
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
