Some great hard court action is on tap this week with the 2017 WTA Citi Open about to host a number of top women’s players around the globe. Let’s check on some of the names entered in this prestigious tournament.
World No. 2 Simona Halep will make her 2017 summer hardcourt debut at the Citi Open, where she accepted a main draw wildcard. The Romanian will compete in the Washington tournament for the first time in her career, following her impressive run to the quarterfinals at the Wimbledon Championships. Halep, who has a grand total of 15 titles, also reached the French Open finals earlier this year. She will face 2015 Citi Open champion Sloane Stephens in a blockbuster first-round matchup.
Another player who’s been consistent this season is Kristina Mladenovic. The Frenchwoman has entered in 15 events this year and has at least made the quarters in eight of those tournaments. Mladenovic has recorded 37 victories for the season and is currently ninth in the race to Singapore. The 24-year-old will look to make amends for her dismal performance at the All England Club where she was booted out in the second round.
Sleepers: Daria Kasatkina and Julia Goerges
Looking for a worthy sleeper this week? How about Daria Kasatkina? The 20-year-old Russian won her first career WTA singles title this season, bagging the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, South Carolina. Kasatkina definitely has the game to make a deep run in this tournament. Just ask former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber whom she already defeated twice this year.
Also playing some inspired tennis at the moment is Julia Goerges. Just last week, she made the finals in Bucharest, losing to hometown favorite Irina-Camelia Begu. The German is 27-16 for the season and is slowly climbing up the world rankings (she’s currently 45th). She will face Francoise Abanda in the first round.
Long Shot: Sloane Stephens
Sloane Stephens is playing just her second WTA event back after sitting out nearly a year due to a foot injury. Granted a wildcard berth by the Citi Open organizers, she will face top seed Simona Halep in a titanic first-round clash. Stephens is 2-3 against Halep in their head-to-head matchup, though both of the American’s victories came in 2013 when she reached her career-high rank of No. 11 in the world. If she can somehow get past Halep in the opening round, the sky’s the limit for Stephens whose current ranking is at 901.
Writer’s Prediction
Simona Halep begins her 2017 summer hard court season in style with a dominant Citi Open title win.
