Tennis returns to the #PalermoLadiesOpen for the first time since 2013 when home favourite Roberta Vinci lifted the title in front of a supportive home crowd. Now that Vinci had retired, who will lift the trophy in 2019? World number five Kiki Bertens is the sole top-40 player in the tournament and will be the overwhelming favourite for the title, though the in-form Alize Cornet could pose some trouble as well.
Top Quarter: Bertens comes in as the huge favourite
Top seed #KikiBertens returns to her favoured surface, clay, after a disappointing French Open campaign where she was forced to end her campaign earlier due to an illness which struck during the tournament. Looking to rack up the points ahead of a heavy US Open Series where she has a bulk of points to defend, Bertens opens her campaign against #EkaterineGorgodze, who will compete in her first WTA main draw this year (excluding 125k events). She should not face any problems entering the semifinals.
The dangerous #IrinaCameliaBegu lurks in this section and if you are a tennis fan, you should know that Begu is never a force to be underestimated on clay. Sixth seed #LauraSiegemund faces #JasminePaolini in the first round and could face Begu in the second. A potential battle between the Romanian and the German could be feisty, considering their prowess on clay, and it will be their second clash in two weeks after Siegemund defeated Begu in Bucharest this week.
Prediction: Bertens d. Begu
Second Quarter: Kuzmova looks to shrug off poor form
It has been a dull stretch for #ViktoriaKuzmova, who has been struggling with her game for a couple of tournaments. Ever since getting double-bagelled by Halep in Madrid, the Slovakian has never seemed to be the same player in terms of confidence and her fearless play. Her path to the semifinals seems quite clear though fifth seed #PaulineParmentier could be a danger.
#MartinaDiGiuseppe, who reached the semifinals in Bucharest on her WTA main draw debut, received a special exempt into the main draw and will face compatriot #SaraErrani. Errani, a former French Open finalist, currently lurks outside the top-200 of the rankings and the serve seems to be her Achilles’ heel. Di Giuseppe is in great form currently and will look to excel in front of her home crowd.
Prediction: Kuzmova d. Di Giuseppe
Third Quarter: Who will pounce on the opportunity?
Fourth seed #TamaraZidansek headlines this section, but she gets the toughest first-round opponent she could have asked for. #LaraArruabarrena, who is just returning from a one-month injury lay-off, faces the Slovenian in an intriguing opener. The winner of this clash will face either a qualifier of a lucky-loser next, with the perfect chance of entering the last eight.
Seventh seed #SaraSorribesTormo goes up against the in-form #FionaFerro, who reached new heights in her young career with a breakthrough run to her maiden WTA title at the Ladies Open Lausanne, which has not been played at the time of writing. #GiuliaGattoMonticone, famous for her match with Serena Williams at Wimbledon this year, looks to cause the top seeds some trouble as well.
Prediction: Arruabarrena d. Ferro
Fourth Quarter: Can Cornet continue her good run of form?
Eighth seed #JilTeichmann reached the quarterfinals in Lausanne this week and could have a chance to reach another quarterfinal here in Palermo. She faces the out-of-form #DariaGavrilova, who won just seven matches this year and could possibly face #NataliaVikhlyantseva, a fellow Lausanne quarterfinalist, next. Watch out for the Russian’s name here as her powerful game can destruct any opponent on a good day.
Contesting the Lausanne final is the second seed #AlizeCornet who will look to record another strong performance and ride on her momentum. Coming into the tournament as a title favourite, Cornet needs to embrace the pressure and avoid possible upsets en route to a second consecutive final.
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