This round of 64 match at the WTA 1000 Qatar TotalEnergies Open in Doha will be played on outdoor hard courts. This surface traditionally favours players with a reliable baseline game, but it still allows for long games and momentum swings within sets. The meeting between Anna Kalinskaya and Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro will be their first head-to-head on tour.
Anna Kalinskaya
Anna Kalinskaya comes into the tournament as the favourite. She has won six of her last 10 matches, taking the first set in seven of them. All six victories were by a 2:0 scoreline, which indicates her ability to control matches. On hard courts, she has won six of her last eight main-draw matches, consistently winning on average more than 12 games per match. Even in her wins she often allows opponents to stay close in terms of the score because of long rallies and tight service games.
Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro
Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro is going through a less stable spell, with three wins and seven defeats in her last 10 matches. She has taken the first set four times, more often starting matches from behind. Five of those losses came in matches lost 0:2, which underlines the difference in level when she faces stronger opponents. At the same time, the average total in her matches is above 22 games, which is linked to her ability to hold serve and extend sets.
Anna Kalinskaya vs Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro Prediction
The difference in level and current form tilts the match in favour of Anna Kalinskaya, but the playing styles of both players create conditions for a relatively long contest. She wins regularly but does not usually finish opponents off with a very low games total, while the Spaniard often reaches double figures in games even in defeat. We prefer a combination bet: Anna Kalinskaya to win the match, with the players surpassing the overall games total.
