Women’s tennis now centers its spotlight in Sweden. It may have some shortage in firepower – since a couple of the high-ranking gals are absent – but this week’s tournament should shape up to be another interesting event, as mid-tier players are getting a good opportunity to earn some hardwood.
Read on and see which players are worth putting some money on!
Favorites: Caroline Wozniacki and Anastasija Sevastova
World no. 6 Carolina Wozniacki is an easy pick as one of the Open’s favorites. Her skill set and championship experience are ways ahead of almost everyone in the field, and at 27 years old, she’s still expected to ride her peak comfortably. Caro has compiled a 38-14 record on the year, which includes four successful runs to a title.
The 17th-ranked Anastasija Sevastova, too, will be one of the toughest competitors in the tournament. Like Wozniacki, she possesses tools that make it almost automatic to regard her as the probable woman to win it all. Don’t let the early exits at Bucharest and Wimbledon fool you; she can comeback from disappointing runs in no time. Sevastova is 26-16 this 2017, and is still fresh from reigning in the Mallorca Open, and reaching the semis in the Stuttgart Open and Madrid Masters.
Sleepers: Carina Witthoeft and Irina-Camelia Begu
Carina Witthoeft, currently ranked 66th overall, is having an odd season, as she is inexplicably struggling in minor events (4-5) but thriving in the major ones (16-10) – instead of the other way around. That, of course – regardless of how weird it is – should be enough to put her name as one of the attractive sleeper picks. The woman simply knows when to turn her game up a notch.
No. 58 Irina-Camelia Begu is on the same boat, only better. Although she’s just a shade above .500 in the main draw (16-15 overall and 13-6 on clay), the Romanian will be coming off a championship run at the Bucharest Open, where she knocked off the likes of Julia Goerges and Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets.
Long Shot: Rebecca Peterson
Placed 170th in the standings, Rebecca Peterson will be one of the lowest-ranking women in the tourney. Like a classic long shot who could still be drawing interest, though, she will enter with a nice-enough amount of rhythm. Peterson has done well this year in minor events, particularly on clay (12-3). She has also reached the third round in two of her last three events, and also won the 25k Padova in Week 24 prior to that.
