Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Berlin match.
Can Aryna Sabalenka bounce back to her trademark consistency following an emotionally taxing loss in the Roland Garros final? In her Berlin opener, the Belarusian takes on the lower-ranked Rebeka Masarova, who may prove a sterner test than her ranking implies.
Aryna Sabalenka
The Belarusian is still processing the disappointment of falling short in Paris — a defeat that appeared to hit her particularly hard. Yet it's rare for Aryna Sabalenka not to reach the latter stages of a tournament, regardless of surface. Since the start of the spring swing, she's only failed to do so once — in Rome, where she was beaten by Zheng Qinwen in the quarter-finals. Her fierce competitive drive leaves little room for anything short of contending for titles. That said, she'll need to make adjustments to the grass surface in Berlin, especially in terms of reading the ball on return.
Rebeka Masarova
The Swiss player sits at 122nd in the WTA rankings, but she delivered a confident performance in the opening round, dispatching 29-year-old Sofia Kenin (6:3, 6:2). Rebeka Masarova secured late breaks in both sets and added an early one in the second. Her serve played a pivotal role, winning 71% of points on both first and second delivery. That figure was powered by her dominance in the ace count, where she posted a 9-0 advantage over the American.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Rebeka Masarova Prediction
There’s little question that Aryna Sabalenka is a significant step up in opposition for Rebeka Masarova. However, when it comes to aces, the Swiss player is unlikely to be far behind — and may even lead. She has outserved her opponents in this regard in eight straight grass-court matches, often by a margin of at least two.
