Garbine Muguruza will make her debut on day two at the WTA Finals in Singapore playing against Lucie Safarova. On the second match of the day Petra Kvitova will take on Angelique Kerber. Here are is our preview and the final predictions for the day. Who are the true favorites?
(2) Garbine Muguruza (ESP) vs. (8) Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Safarova leads 1-0
It will only be the second meeting between Muguruza and Safarova, with the first being played this year at the French Open. On the Parisian red clay, Lucie played the best tournament of her career, going as far as reaching the final and finish one set shy of a Grand Slam title. Garbine and Lucie played in the quarter-finals and the Czech won in straight sets by 7-6(3) 6-3.
Unfortunately for Lucie, that match won’t really mean a lot going into the first round robin match for both players at the WTA Finals of Singapore. The French Open final was the highlight of the season for the Czech. What arrived after, didn’t shine as bright. Ousted in the first round at the US Open, despite a runner up appearance the week before in New Heaven, Safarova was recently hospitalized in Czech Republic with a bacterical infection. A month away from the courts almost, and Lucie came back in action to lose both matches she played in Linz and Moscow.
On the other side of the net, Lucie will face probably the “hottest” player of the month in Muguruza. The Spaniard quickly forgot the US Open disappointment and reached the final in Wuhan to then win the title one week after in the Premier Mandatory tournament of Beijing. An Asian trip Garbine will hardly forget.
Right now Muguruza is exactly one point away from overtaking Maria Sharapova as World No.2 showing how consistency played a key part in her season this year. The Wimbledon final didn’t have the effect the French Open final had on Safarova. It rather worked as a confidence boost for Muguruza.
Considering the moment of forms of both players and how the indoor surface can even further help Muguruza’s aggression game, it will be very hard for Lucie to keep the court on Monday.
Final Prediction: Garbine Muguruza wins in straight sets
(4) Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs. (6) Angelique Kerber (GER)
Kvitova leads 4-2
Miss consistency (Kerber) meets Miss Highest Highs and Lowest Lows. With a third round appearance as her best result in the Slams this year, Angelique Kerber could seem unable to fit into the elite top 8 group. The German has instead played overall the most consistent season on the tour, with prestigious placements and tournament wins, always winning when the favorite. Angelique won a personal record of 4 titles this year, conquering the tournaments of Stuttgart, Charleston, Birmingham and Stanford. The German recently reached the semis in Wuhan and quarters in Beijing, showing that despite the 24 events she has played this year, she still very much has a lot of fuel left in the tank.
Petra Kvitova had to face a very particular season this year, dealing with mononucleosis and managing to do so with extreme composure and class. Petra has the quarters reached at the US Open as her best result in the Slams, in a season that saw her winning three titles, in Sydney, Madrid and New Heaven. The Czech only won one match in Asia, in a not very successful trip. If others are very tired, sure Petra could say she is even more, having to deal with her sickness together with the long and draining WTA season.
The Round Robin match to be played tomorrow in Singapore will see the two facing one another for the first time in 2015. The last time Petra and Angelique met on a tennis court was in 2014, when Petra won a tight three-set match in the Fed Cup final. On indoor surfaces Petra is 3-0 against Kerber and hasn’t lost to the German since 2012.
Despite the head to head record, we have to consider the moment of form of the two players, which has the pendulum swing in the German’s way. Angelique likes to lift her game up when playing against the best and sure she is going to put up a fight against the Czech.
A lot will depend on Kvitova. If the Czech is the same player seen in Asia, she can’t really win the match. Even a US Open version of Kvitova won’t be enough, though. Petra has to play better than she did this year to win this one, but she could do it.
Considering how we haven’t seen the 2-time Wimbledon champion playing yet in Singapore, it would be hard to take a risk and consider her the favorite.
Final prediction: Angelique Kerber wins in three sets
