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Damien Kayat previews Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari in 2nd matches (Bacalar Group) of the WTA Finals on the first of November 2023.
2023 WTA Tour
WTA Finals
Plaza Quintana Roo, Cancun, Mexico (Out of doors Hardcourt)
Bacalar Group- 2nd Matches – 1st November
Aryna Sabalenka 57/100 | Jessica Pegula 27/20
World No.1 Aryan Sabalenka had her say on the seemingly haphazard association of this yr’s WTA Finals. She complained in regards to the turf, saying it had inconsistent bounce and he or she battled together with her footing. Not that it confirmed (she completely blew Maria Sakkari off the court docket with a ruthless show of energy hitting).
That win was her twenty eighth of the season towards the opposite seven qualifiers right here (yet another than Swiatek). Her 6-0 first-set win was solely the third excellent opening body on the WTA Finals since 2003. Sabalenka has loved a outstanding season, claiming her maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne and turning into a perennial presence on the enterprise finish of big occasions.
Curiously, the Belarusian hasn’t truly received a title since claiming the WTA 1000 crown in Madrid. She suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Gauff within the US Open closing and he or she will likely be decided to finish this season as emphatically as she started it.
Certain, Jessica Pegula hasn’t managed to crack the Grand Slam code, unable to recover from the psychological hurdle of the quarterfinal stage. However by way of year-round consistency- Pegula has been fairly spectacular this season.
She has reached eight semi-finals over the course of the marketing campaign. This included a superb title-winning run in Montreal (the 2nd WTA 1000 title of her profession). She truly got here into this occasion in respectable nick after profitable the Korea Open. Her opening victory towards Elena Rybakina prolonged her present winning-streak to 6 matches.
That victory over Rybakina will give the counterpunching American confidence that she will now deal with the high-pressure conditions. She went 0-6 in singles and doubles throughout final yr’s WTA Finals and you’re feeling like one other loss would have fully rattled her self-belief.
However she remained affected person towards the big-serving Kazakh, absorbing her energy and finally forcing Rybakina into an absolute plethora of unforced errors. In some ways, that match towards Rybakina is the best preparation for this encounter.
Verdict: Sabalenka to win in straight-sets – 5/4
Sabalenka holds a commanding 4-1 head-to-head document towards Pegula. Actually, the Belarusian has received their final 4 consecutive matches. Sabalenka seems to be to have a single-mined dedication this week and I can see her romping house to victory towards the extra workmanlike Pegula.
Elena Rybakina 4/10 | Maria Sakkari 19/10
This has been a barely schizophrenic season for 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. She started the season in empathic model, reaching her 2nd Grand Slam closing in Melbourne while profitable WTA 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Rome.
Most commentators positioned her as a member of a brand new ‘Huge-Three’ in ladies’s tennis (alongside Sabalenka and Swiatek). However some damage points have meant that she hasn’t been fairly as explosive within the 2nd half of the marketing campaign. Actually, she hasn’t reached a closing since claiming the title in Rome.
Nonetheless, the Kazakh has nonetheless managed to ship some actually constant tennis. This included a stable semi-final run on the WTA 1000 occasion in Montreal. She got here into this occasion in respectable fettle following a semi-final run in China. And she or he began her opener towards Pegula in dominant trend, racing to a 5-3 lead within the first set.
However Pegula simply caught to her weapons, forcing the Kazakh right into a staggering 35 unforced errors within the match. Rybakina seemed considerably one-dimensional towards the versatile American and he or she might want to handle that if she needs to proceed any additional on this occasion.
Maria Sakkari has loved a fairly erratic journey to her third consecutive WTA Finals. She was knocked out within the first spherical of every of the final three Slams of the yr. However she picked up a slew of respectable outcomes through the common tour, slowly accumulating factors by means of sheer consistency.
She then reached the ultimate in Washington (finally happening to Gauff within the closing). However she went on to interrupt her six-match dropping streak in WTA Finals, choosing up her first title in almost 5 years on the WTA 1000 occasion in Guadalajara.
Sakkari was caught on one tour title for a lot too lengthy and I used to be actually pleased for her as she conquered that hurdle. However that inconsistency got here to the fore in her opener as she was completely blown off the court docket by Sabalenka. Sakkari will do nicely to recollect her debut WTA Finals look in 2021.
She rallied after dropping to Badosa in her opener, beating Swiatek and Sabalenka to achieve the semi-finals. However she goes to want an enormous turnaround to be able to replicate that 2021 efficiency.
Verdict: Rybakina to win in straight-sets – 1/1
These two share the head-to-head spoils at one win apiece (Sakkari received their final assembly eventually yr’s Indian Wells occasion). I feel the Kazakh star goes to rise to the event for this one. She struggled towards the pugnacious Pegula, pressured into lengthy, attritional rallies that didn’t go well with her.
This match-up is preferable for Rybakina. Sakkari seems to be to play a high-tempo model and I feel Rybakina is extra comfy with that. She received’t need to generate an excessive amount of of her personal energy and I feel the unforced errors depend will drop drastically.
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