The #StPetersburgLadiesTrophy, which was handed the best Premier tournament title in 2018, will welcome a series of world-class players as it prepares to host one of the best draws a Premier tournament will see this year. Australian Open finalist Petra Kvitova is the defending champion while five-time Major champion Maria Sharapova makes her debut in this wonderful tournament.
First Quarter: Quality overload as Kvitova faces some tough challenge
Top seed #PetraKvitova, who has recently confirmed that she will still compete in St. Petersburg despite competing for four consecutive weeks in Australia, is currently in some scaringly-good form as she looks to defend her title here. Kvitova, who was so close to the Australian Open trophy, is in the pursuit of the world number one ranking hence she could not afford to lose 470 points in this important stage. She will have a tricky opening-round opponent — the Czech will either face a qualifier or former world number one #VictoriaAzarenka. The Belarusian received a main draw wildcard and will be looking to cause some damage to the top players.
#OlgaDanilovic, who burst out to the scene with her triumph in Moscow last year, returns to Russia with some great memories as she was surprisingly gifted a wildcard into the main draw. She will look to capitalize on her opportunity as she opens against a qualifier, but her second round opponent would be much tougher, facing the winner of #TimeaBacsinszky, who is gradually finding her form back, and eighth seed #DonnaVekic, who reached the semifinals in Brisbane to start off 2019 with.
Prediction: Kvitova d. Vekic
Second Quarter: Packed quarter with an abundance of Russians
The second quarter features seven players — and four of them are Russians. Third seed #DariaKasatkina has received a bye, and she has recorded some spectacular results in St. Petersburg previously — semifinal appearances in 2016 and 2018. However, this time she will find it difficult to replicate the result as her first opponent would either be good friend #DariaGavrilova, or the majestic former world number one #MariaSharapova, who crushed her 6-0, 6-2 in Montreal last year. The five-time Major champion is the favourite to get past both “Dasha”s and move into the quarterfinals.
There will be a battle of Russian veteran wildcards as former world number eight #EkaterinaMakarova faces former world number two #VeraZvonareva in the first round. #MariaSakkari, who reached the third round in Melbourne, goes up against fifth seed #JuliaGoerges as the fans are set to witness the blockbuster clash between both hard-hitters.
Prediction: Sharapova d. Goerges
Third Quarter: Sabalenka looks to mount a deep run
Seventh seed #DominikaCibulkova has received what could be the easiest draw out of all the seeded players, facing a qualifier in the first round while 2017 finalist #YuliaPutintseva could await next. The Slovakian should be able to get some confidence-boosting wins and gain some momentum.
A clash of the only Belgians in the draw will see good friends #AlisonVanUytvanck and #KirstenFlipkens fight for a place in the second round to face fourth seed #ArynaSabalenka. In some extraordinary circumstances, both Van Uytvanck and Flipkens were only handed a place in the main draw due to the withdrawals of other players before the tournament commenced.
Prediction: Sabalenka d. Cibulkova
Fourth Quarter: Can Bertens capitalize?
Sixth seed #JelenaOstapenko and former top-10 player #KristinaMladenovic go head-to-head in the opening hurdle as both players, who are struggling with their form currently, will look to grab this huge win, which will be exceptionally crucial for either one of them. Both Ostapenko and Mladenovic are winless this year hence at least one of them will be able to snap their losing streak.
The winner of Ostapenko and Mladenovic will face the winner of another interesting first-round clash between #AlizeCornet and #AnastasiaPavlyuchenkova. Cornet, who is another player struggling for wins, has gone 0-3 in 2019 while Pavlyuchenkova reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, hence she comes into the match as the overwhelming favourite as she leads their head-to-head 5-1 as well.
#KaterinaSiniakova would face a qualifier to start her campaign, but if she gets past the opening hurdle, she will face second seed #KikiBertens, whom she upset at the China Open last year. It will be an interesting clash considering the Dutch, who has nothing to lose in the upcoming months, is now a top-10 player and has the abundance of pressure on her.
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