Kiki Bertens (Ned) vs. Misaki Doi (Jpn) – Score prediction (9.10.2019)

Overview.

Kiki Bertens is firmly in the driver seat of her WTA Finals qualification after a semifinal in Beijing, where all her five matches involved tiebreaks. She entered the Chinese capital, having won just four matches in her previous six tournaments and with no prior quarterfinal showings in a hard-court Premier Mandatory. Bertens is 2-6 in the main draws of Linz. The second win came last year against wildcard Barbara Haas before she fell to Gasparyan in a third set tiebreak. This week is the Dutchwoman’s third International outing of the season. She was also the top seed at Rosmalen and Palermo, and posted runner-up finishes.

Misaki Doi was taken to deciders by the Austrian world no. 605 Melanie Klaffner and world no. 116 Jasmine Paolini in the qualifyings, needing nearly four hours combined to hold off the upset bids. It is her third appearance at Linz; previously lost first round in 2015 to Brengle and second round in 2016 to Keys. Doi had not won consecutive WTA main draw matches since May 2017. She ended that wait with a runner-up finish at Hiroshima, falling short in the all-local final to Hibino. It would’ve been her second career title after 2015 Luxembourg. Nonetheless, she will now post her first top 100 year-end ranking in three years.

Bertens has won two of the pair’s three previous meetings, including the most recent one at 2017 Nuremberg quarterfinal (via ret). She should consolidate her hold over the series and her season’s win-loss against outside top 50 players (24-4). Doi, on the other hand, has gone 0-16 against top 10 opponents.

Match Info.

Competition: WTA – SINGLES: Linz (Austria), hard (indoor)
Start: 9.10.2019, 16:30 UTC.