WTA Antwerp: Final Prediction

WTA Antwerp Final Prediction: Petkovic to play Pliskova

The indoor Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium is back for the 1st time since 2008 with Kim Clijsters, champion of 2004, in the helm as tournament director. The event has replaced the long running Paris Indoors as the Premier level stop between Australia and the Middle East. Though this time, the event hasn’t managed to attract the names of players to rival such former champions as Venus Williams, Amelie Mauresmo or Justine Henin, there are still a number of top 20 stars in action in tomorrow’s semi finals. Here are my predictions for the upcoming matches.

(3) Andrea Petkovic vs Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova

Andrea hits the ball relentlessly flat and direct and will look to boss the points against her less powerful opponent. In contrast, Barbora is exceptionally versatile and will look to mix up the play and throw the German out of rhythm. She can play practically any game style, so expect plenty of net attack and canny drop shots. Barbora has had a great week already, beating the likes of Yanina Wickmayer, Alize Cornet and Mona Barthel for the loss of only 14 games. Petkovic, as per usual, has made a real battle of things, overcoming 8 match points to beat Alison Van Uytvanck in 3 sets and then taking out 6th seed, Dominika Cibulkova 76(2) 60. All of this comes off the back of 2 epic wins against Australia last weekend in the Fed Cup. To read more about these wins, follow the link below. Petkovic leads the head to head 2-1, but they haven’t played since 2012 and Barbora has vastly improved lately, so much so in fact that she will crack the world’s top 20 if she wins this match. Speaking of rankings, Petkovic has already secured her place back inside the top 10 for the first time since early 2012, not bad considering the spate of injuries with which the German has been beset throughout her career.

I expect a tough, gruelling fight between these two as both their games suit indoor conditions. I predict Petkovic will edge it because of her refusal to give in, providing she has the energy.

(5) Carla Suarez Navarro vs (8) Karolina Pliskova

This semi final is similar to the other in the sense that it pits two opponents with very different game styles against each other. Carla plays a typically Spanish style with plenty of topspin on both her forehand and one handed backhand. She makes few unforced errors and will look to outmanoeuvre Karolina. However, this will be tough as Karolina is a power house with a huge serve and flat groundstrokes, typical of other Czechs. Carla tends to play 3 setters and had to win a couple earlier in the week against Camila Giorgi and Monica Niculescu before handling Francesca Schiavone in a tough, yet straight sets match. In contrast, Karolina hasn’t dropped a set in beating Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Annika Beck and most importantly, her compatriot, 4th seed Lucie Safarova 76(5) 63. Like Andrea Petkovic, she seems to have taken a lot from a successful Fed Cup weekend, where its important to remember she helped the Czech Republic reach the semi finals without the help of either Lucie Safarova or Petra Kvitova. The head to head is tied at 1-1, both matches coming recently on hard courts and going to 3 sets. Karolina won the last just a month ago in the Sydney quarter finals 46 64 60, where she didn’t drop a point on serve in the third!

Karolina is in terrific form and I just don’t see how Carla’s game will be able to make any impression on an indoor court. With her booming serve, Karolina should power into her 2nd Premier final of the year, after Sydney.

Final Prediction: Petkovic vs Pliskova

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Important!

Earlier in the week, the event lost its top 2 seeds in the 2nd round, not the best news for the tournament director! World number 7, Eugenie Bouchard hit a woeful 9 doubles faults in losing control of her match against Mona Barthel 46 61 62, an inauspicious start to her new coaching relationship with Sam Sumyk, Azarenka’s former coach. Meanwhile, Angelique Kerber has fallen out the top 10 for the 1st time since 2012 behind yet another disconcerting defeat, a 61 61 loss to qualifier Francesca Schiavone. It’s been coming for a long time, but former French Open champion, Schiavone played a tactically astute match, volleying with repeated success and destroying Kerber’s attackable serve.

Next: Fed Cup Review

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