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WTA New Haven: Final Prediction

By Jake Fletcher

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WTA New Haven: Whose left hook will deliver the knockout punch? 

The final of the Connecticut Open has been decided in New Haven, USA. Unlike my prediction, Petra Kvitova will face Lucie Safarova for the title. I really should have had more faith in them!

Here’s my prediction as to who will win the last tournament ahead of the US Open.

(Rank/Seed)

(5/2) Petra Kvitova vs (6/4 WC) Lucie Safarova

Kvitova looks to have put her dreary summer behind her as she moves into a third final of the year. Considering she won both Sydney and Madrid and has won sixteen of the twenty one finals she’s contested, the two time Wimbledon champion should feel confident.

Something about New Haven brings out the best in Kvitova. The Czech has now reached a fourth successive final here, a joint tournament record alongside Venus Williams (99-02) and Caroline Wozniacki (08-11). Though they won four successive editions of the event, Kvitova could join them as the only other player to win the event at least three times, having also won in 2012 and 2014.

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Going into the final, Kvitova must work on getting off to a better start. Just as she’d done earlier against Madison Keys and Agnieszska Radwanska, the 25 year old got herself into an early hole against (4/3 WC) Caroline Wozniacki in the semis. Trailing 3-5, Kvitova bludgeoned her way through ten of the next eleven games, saving a set point en route to a comprehensive 75 61 win, her first over the Dane since Dubai, 2013.

Safarova is also into her third final of the year, winning her only Premier level title in Doha but losing to Serena Williams at the French Open. Unlike Kvitova, she has a losing record in finals, winning six out of the fourteen she’s contested.

Safarova recovered well after her quarter final marathon against Dominika Cibulkova, beating lucky loser Lesia Tsurenko 62 76(4) in the semis. However, she let a 4-1 double break lead slip and can’t afford such largesse against her compatriot in the final.

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Kvitova dominates Safarova 6-0 in their head to head, their latest meeting being the Wimbledon semis 2014 where Kvitova won 76(6) 61. The nearest Safarova’s been to victory was a couple of week’s before that encounter, when she pushed Kvitova to a third set tiebreaker in Eastbourne. Incidentally, their first meeting occurred in the quarter finals here in 2012. In Safarova’s only previous appearance here, Kvitova won 63 63.

The similarities between these two players are marked. Both are tall, left handers with imposing serves and flat, penetrating groundstrokes. Kvitova has always had the edge as she’s more versatile, particularly at the net and has long since had the better match temperament. However, Safarova has matured substantially this year and is a mentally better than the player Kvitova encountered over a year ago.

In a match where the serve will be of real importance, I predict that Kvitova will have the slight edge just as she’s done in the past.

WTA New Haven: Final Prediction- Petra Kvitova

Next: WTA New Haven: Semi Final Predictions

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