Elena-Gabriela Ruse will compete in her maiden grass-court final at the WTA 250 in Den Bosch. The Romanian qualifier will be up against third seed Elise Mertens, who is also seeking a first career title on the lawns. Who will lift the Libema Open title?
WTA Den Bosch Final Prediction
Elena-Gabriela Ruse vs Elise Mertens
Head-to-head: Ruse 0-3 Mertens
Elena-Gabriela Ruse entered this tournament ranked 80th in the standings but is guaranteed a Top 60 return next week (up to 58th in the live rankings). She could equal her best ranking of No. 51 if she wins the title. Ruse has never played in a grass-court final before this week. Reaching the semifinal was her best achievement on the lawns. The Romanian took the long route to get to the championship match. Her campaign began with qualifying last weekend, where she routinely secured her spot in the main draw with two solid wins. Ruse impressed in the main draw despite her limited experience and modest results on grass, knocking out Bianca Andreescu and Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the last two rounds to reach the final.
Elise Mertens survived the onslaught of seeded players to make the final. The third seed denied Ekaterina Alexandrova the opportunity to contest for a third title at WTA Den Bosch. Mertens won a high-quality semifinal after saving 11 match points. Like Ruse, Mertens has also dropped one set in the tournament. She has won nine WTA titles, but not a single one on grass.
It was evident that whoever won the first semifinal would be the favorite to take home the crown. Mertens is vastly more accomplished, not just in ranking but also in experience at this stage, having won nine WTA titles in the past. She’s also been to two finals already this year, lifting the Singapore Open at the start of February. Ruse’s upside is that she has grit and won’t stop believing after a tough week. Still, this match will be on Mertens’ racket. Expect the Belgian to assert control and power to victory gradually.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke – Imagn Images
