Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Finals match.
In the context of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova will be battling to keep their playoff hopes alive. Both players suffered defeats on the first day of play, making this encounter pivotal for their advancement in the tournament.
Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula has enjoyed a strong season in North America, reaching finals in Cincinnati and the US Open, and claiming the title in Toronto. However, she clearly lacks experience on indoor courts, where her results have been less than stellar with four losses in recent matches. Her struggle in the tournament's opening match against Coco Gauff, during which she committed 28 unforced errors with only eight winners, indicates a need to regain confidence. Since 2020, Pegula has played only four indoor matches, with the total over 20.5 occurring in three of them.
Barbora Krejcikova
Barbora Krejcikova arrives at the Finals after a challenging season filled with injuries and inconsistent performances. Nonetheless, her success at Wimbledon demonstrates her ability to compete at a high level. This year, she played 34 matches, winning 19 and losing 15, highlighting her instability. However, Krejcikova boasts 16 victories and 3 losses on indoor surfaces since 2020, which could be advantageous for her. The Czech has also won 6 of her last 10 matches against top 10 players. Still, her disappointing runs at the US Open and Asian tournaments raise some concerns, as she was eliminated in the early rounds.
Jessica Pegula vs Barbora Krejcikova Prediction
Currently, Pegula and Krejcikova each have one victory against each other in their head-to-head encounters (1-1). Considering both athletes’ current forms and Krejcikova’s stronger performance on indoor courts, she appears more favourable. However, Pegula remains one of the most consistent hard court players, and the match is likely to be lengthy and competitive. Therefore, a bet on a total over 20.5 can be considered.
