As the tennis world gears up for Wimbledon, the WTA Bad Homburg Open provides one final platform for players to fine-tune their grass-court game ahead of the third Major of the year. This year\u2019s first-round slate and there should be plenty of compelling action from day one onwards. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, but who will advance on the first day in Germany?<\/p>\n
Head-to-head:<\/strong> Sakkari 2\u20131 Putinseva<\/p>\n Yulia Putintseva arrives at the WTA Bad Homburg Open on the back of mixed grass-court swing. She began her season with a convincing 6\u20112 6\u20112 win over Hannah Klugman in Nottingham, but in the second round, she was upset by Rebecca Sramkova. That result shook her momentum and highlighted lingering inconsistencies on grass. Maria Sakkari, by way of contrast, has had limited warm-up activity on grass ahead of Bad Homburg but remains a top-tier competitor on every surface (even if grass is probably where she is most beatable). Her baseline solidity and athleticism have carried her through recent tournaments, though she’s yet to establish rhythm on this surface. Expect a tight match, with a lot hinging on how quickly Putintseva is able to find the aggressive balance that will balance the scale in her favour.<\/p>\n Prediction: Putinseva in 3
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