WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina secured her second Grand Slam title on Saturday by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. Although a momentous moment, there is no break on the WTA Tour. This year’s Middle Eastern swing begins in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with four intriguing matches on the slate. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, but who will advance?
WTA Abu Dhabi Day 1 Predictions
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs McCartney Kessler
Head-to-head: first meeting
McCartney Kessler was terrible in her last singles match against Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open, but nerves likely played a significant role in that. That should not be an issue here. The American usually does well against opponents with Pavlyuchenkova’s style. She has a good chance of redirecting her opponent’s pace and exploiting her average movement.
Prediction: Kessler in 2
Hailey Baptiste vs Teodora Kostovic
Head-to-head: first meeting
18-year-old Teodora Kostovic is very talented and has a big future in the sport. However, Hailey Baptiste was probably happy when the draw came out. She enters this match after a decent Australian Open campaign and thrives on frustrating opponents with her consistency. Kostovic is unlikely to be solid enough to pose a serious threat.
Prediction: Baptiste in 2
Sofia Kenin vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: Kenin 2-1 Samsonova
Both women had disappointing early exits at the Australian Open. Liudmila Samsonova’s dramatic collapse against Laura Siegemund must have been particularly challenging to come to terms with. If Sofia Kenin plays well, her style is ideal for disrupting Samsonova’s aggression. The former Grand Slam winner’s inconsistency makes her matches hard to predict. She is backed to win, but without certainty.
Prediction: Kenin in 3
Leylah Fernandez vs Ajla Tomljanovic
Head-to-head: Tomljanovic 1-0 Fernandez
Leylah Fernandez has had a slow start to the season. Both women like taking the ball early from the baseline, but the Canadian is usually the more consistently aggressive player. The battle between Fernandez’s left-handed forehand and Tomljanovic’s backhand will likely decide that comeback. Expect a tight battle, but Fernandez is slightly favoured.
Prediction: Fernandez in 3
Main photo credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
