Two mouthwatering semifinals are on the slate at the WTA Singapore Open. Top seed Anna Kalinskaya continues her pursuit for a maiden Tour level title and faces an in-form Ann Li who is yet to drop a set this week. Elsewhere, second seed Elise Mertens will take on fourth seed Xinyu Wang in their third career meeting. Who will reach Sunday’s final?
WTA Singapore Semifinal Predictions
Elise Mertens vs Xinyu Wang
Head-to-head: Mertens 1-1 Wang
The head-to-head is finely balanced here. Mertens and Wang have split their two meetings which took place in Indian Wells in successive seasons with almost identical scorelines. The Belgian has dropped one set this week in the comeback victory against Tatjana Maria. Aside from that, Mertens has hardly looked in any danger and toppled Camila Osorio in the quarterfinal, losing just six games.
Wang, for her part, has navigated two highly competitive matches. She beat Rebecca Marino in three sets in her opening match and spent three hours and 20 minutes to overcome Jil Teichmann in a marathon quarterfinal. With very little to separate them (even in ranking), the fresher legs of Mertens could be the difference.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Anna Kalinskaya vs Ann Li
Head-to-head: first meeting
Since the entry list for WTA Singapore was released, Kalinskaya’s name stood out as the odds-on favorite for the title. Now 26 and with plenty of experience, this feels like the Russian’s title for the taking. But judging by her performances this week, it is far from a done deal. Kalinskaya was taken the distance in two out of three matches including in the quarterfinal against the Thai qualifier Manachaya Sawangkaew. Her only straight-sets win was a rollercoaster against Simona Waltert, with Kalinskaya prevailing in a second-set tie-break. There have also been questions regarding her fitness after taking a medical timeout in the last eight.
The struggles cannot be associated with Ann Li. The American is already a WTA champion (won 2021 Tenerife) and has not lost a set this week. Her seven wins this year is double that of Kalinskaya’s tally. However, analyzing this matchup is not just a game of numbers. Li is hitting the ball with so much authority from the baseline, and maybe that optimism will continue in this match, more so if Kalinskaya’s physical condition is not durable.
Prediction: Li in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
