After a thrilling week of tennis at the WTA’s Adelaide International, a crucial warm-up event ahead of the Australian Open, just two women remain in contention. With both in excellent form, a thrilling final should be in store for the fans in the South Australian capital. But who will claim the title?
Adelaide International Final Prediction
Ashleigh Barty vs Dayana Yastremska
Head-to-head: Barty 1-0 Yastremska
Dayana Yastremska has been in superb form so far this week in Adelaide, with the Ukrainian young gun yet to drop a set. She opened her campaign with a confident 7-5 6-3 win over Timea Babos, before benefitting from Angelique Kerber’s second-set retirement in the round of 16. Yastremska backed that up by dismissing the challenge of Donna Vekic in the quarterfinals, to set up a last-four clash with sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka, who she beat 6-4 7-6.
However, she will surely find world #1 Ashleigh Barty a sterner test. The Australian enjoyed a first-round bye, starting her Adelaide International against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The hard-hitting Russian pushed Barty hard, but she proved able to surpass her challenge, scoring a 4-6 6-3 7-5 win, her first of the season. She then beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3 in a rematch of the French Open final, before withstanding a spirited fightback from Danielle Collins in the semifinals to win 6-3 1-6 7-6.
And the Australian may well approach this match with confidence, having hammered Yastremska in their only previous meeting, which came last season during her run to the title in Miami. Barty was able to use her knifing sliced backhand to target Yastremska’s forehand in that match, with the Ukrainian struggling to contend with the low bounce of the ball. On the quicker courts in Australia, that should once again prove an effective weapon.
But so too should Yastremska’s hard, flat groundstrokes, particularly her forehand. She will surely back herself to win the majority of the forehand-to-forehand battles with Barty, although the Australian’s forehand is not to be underestimated. But what will be crucial for the Ukrainian is to punish Barty’s second serves. If the world’s best has a weakness, it is a vulnerability to aggressive returners and Yastremska has been just that so far in Adelaide. Provided she can repeat that level of performance and contend with the nerves of playing in her first Premier-level final, expect her to just edge out Barty.
Prediction: Yastremska in 3
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