It has been a terrific week of tennis at the WTA Tokyo Open. The draw was incredibly strong from the beginning, despite some withdrawals from the event. A blockbuster final now awaits. Jessica Pegula takes on Veronika Kudermetova for the title. We at LWOT give our analysis and prediction for the final in this article. But who do you think will lift the title?
WTA Tokyo Final Prediction
Jessica Pegula vs Veronika Kudermetova
Head-to-head: Kudermetova 1-0 Pegula
This has felt like an important week for Pegula. The WTA Tokyo Open is her first tournament since a painful loss at the US Open to Madison Keys. It is not just the three wins she has managed, but the manner in which she has performed. Pegula has dropped just nine games in the six sets she has played. And these have included Daria Kasatkina and Guadalajara champion Maria Sakkari, who are both high-quality players. Kudermetova’s standout victory was against Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinal, but her fighting spirit to overcome Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also deserves praise. The 26-year-old is seeking to win her second WTA title.
Kudermetova has the mental boost of beating Pegula earlier this year in their only previous meeting. That was on the clay courts of Madrid. But I think Pegula will get her revenge here. The moderately fast conditions at the WTA Tokyo Open suit her absolutely perfectly. It allows the American to use the pace of her opponents, and rely on her hand-eye coordination, which is one of the best on the WTA Tour. Kudermetova is a powerful player, and can put any player under pressure when she finds her range. However, the slower conditions on the clay in Madrid actually suited her more against Pegula. It allowed her time to wind up her groundstrokes, and use her slightly superior ability to hit through the court.
Expect the American number 2’s naturally better technical ability to give her a fourth WTA title. Kudermetova needs to serve at her absolute best to have a chance, since Pegula is likely to win the majority of the baseline exchanges. That pressure is another reason why Pegula is the favourite to win the title at the WTA Tokyo Open.
Prediction: Pegula in 2
Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac – USA TODAY Sports
