Our tennis writer previews the WTA 2018 semi-finals, which will take place on Saturday the 3rd of February 2018.
Premium Level | St Petersburg Ladies Trophy | 3 February 2018 | St Petersburg, Russia
Julia Goerges (GER) (11/10)
vs Petra Kvitova (CZE) (13/20)
Petra Kvitova’s commanding win over French Open Champion Jelena Ostapenko sent a clear message of intent. As a former two-time Wimbledon champion, Kvitova’s chances look promising especially considering she leads Julia Goerges 2-1 in their head-to-head encounters. However, their last match was back in 2013, which highlights some of the challenges Kvitova has faced with injury struggles.
Julia Goerges has enjoyed a late-career resurgence, reaching a career-high world ranking of 12 last year. She has impressive recent form, having won against Wozniacki in the Auckland final and the WTA Elite title at the end of last season.
Kvitova’s start to the season was a bit rocky with an early Aussie Open loss to Andrea Petkovic, but her wins over Elena Vesnina and Ostapenko suggest she’s finding her rhythm again. After making the semi-finals in Beijing, she appears to be building momentum perfectly.
Though Goerges showed great composure beating rising star Elena Rybakina in the quarters, we believe Kvitova’s power and big-match experience on larger courts could give her the edge. At odds of 13/20, Kvitova offers excellent value given her recent dominant performance and extensive experience.
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 11/10
vs Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 13/20
Kristina Mladenovic has decisively ended a frustrating losing streak. As the defending champion here and a player who thrives on these fast hardcourts, her efficient win over Katerina Siniakova showed she’s back in form, immediately squashing any comeback attempts.
Daria Kasatkina shocked the tournament by knocking out Australian Open Champion Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets. While Wozniacki seemed fatigued, this result was still impressive. These players have only met once before, with Mladenovic winning at the 2015 US Open.
Kasatkina’s route to the semis included beating Alice Cornet, and she reached the Moscow final last year beating top players. Although she had a disappointing early exit at the Australian Open, Mladenovic’s strong form here suggests she’ll dominate. Mladenovic’s first-round losses in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane were puzzling but she appears rejuvenated now.
We expect Mladenovic’s power and experience to overshadow Kasatkina’s game. At 11/10, backing the defending champion to progress seems a smart call.
