Aryna Sabalenka vs. Barbora Krejcikova – Prediction – WTA Linz (Austria) 14.11.2020

H2H: Aryna Sabalenka v Barbora Krejcikova – comparison.

Krejcikova has never beaten anyone ranked in the top 30. However, five out of her eight attempts went to the deciding set, including against the likes of Halep and Azarenka at the recently-held Prague and Ostrava, respectively. Still, it will be Sabalenka who will be the resounding favorite in the pair’s maiden encounter.

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Aryna Sabalenka was beginning to receive some resistance from Oceane Dodin in the quarterfinals when the Frenchwoman twisted her right ankle and retired at 6-3, 3-3. The unfortunate incident allows her to extend her winning streak to seven matches, which includes straight-set wins over Paolini and Voegele earlier this week. This is Sabalenka’s fifth semifinal of the season after having split the fate of the previous ones. While she lost to Yastremska at Adelaide and Svitolina at Strasbourg, the Belarusian went on to win her sixth and seventh career titles — and just the second and third outside China — at Doha (d. Kvitova) and Ostrava (d. Azarenka). It isn’t unusual for Sabalenka to end a season entering finals and winning titles in its final weeks. She has been doing so as far as back as 2015 in the ITF circuit. Furthermore, both of her previous WTA indoor finals have come in the last 13 months alone, at Elite Trophy Zhuhai in October 2019 and Ostrava just last month.

Barbora Krejcikova is the only unseeded player left in the tournament. The world no. 74, who is playing just her second tournament since her top 100 debut, enjoyed her easiest day of the week against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She defeated Sabalenka’s countrywoman 6-3, 6-1 in a matter of just 67 minutes in the quarterfinals. In contrast, Krejcikova’s first two rounds required a combined effort of four hours and 57 minutes as she was taken to the distance by 240th-ranked qualifier Harmony Tan and world no. 110 Greet Minnen. For her ordeals, the 2019 Linz doubles champion has been rewarded with her career’s second-ever WTA singles semifinal. In 2017, Krejcikova became the surprise finalist on the Nuremberg’s clay courts, beating Cirstea and Witthoeft as a qualifier en route. Though she lost that title round to Bertens, the Czech will now bid for her second final while being helped by the momentum of her breakout run at Roland-Garros where she reached the fourth round.

Match Info.