Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Bad Homburg match.
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula will take on Linda Noskova, who has demonstrated solid form on grass courts. Although she enters the match as the underdog, the young Czech player has every reason to believe she can make it a tightly contested encounter.
Jessica Pegula
Currently ranked third in the world, Jessica Pegula has already secured titles on hard and clay courts this season. However, her results on grass have been less consistent, with a 58% win rate on the surface (31-22). She does seem to enjoy playing in Germany, having won seven of her last nine matches there. Despite her experience and overall ability, Pegula lost in straight sets to Linda Noskova earlier this year in February (3:6, 6:7). Her recent matches have also tended to be lengthy; in five of her last six, the total number of games played exceeded 21.5.
Linda Noskova
Linda Noskova is nearing a peak in her career. Ranked No. 30 in the world, the Czech player has already beaten Ajla Tomljanovic, Donna Vekic, and Mirra Andreeva in this tournament, dropping no sets in two of those three matches. This grass-court season, Noskova has won five of her six matches, and in each of those encounters, she has won at least 12 games.
Jessica Pegula vs Linda Noskova Prediction
Taking into account Linda Noskova's recent head-to-head victory, her current form, and her pace-driven playing style, she is likely to remain competitive in terms of games won—even if she does not come out on top. While Jessica Pegula enters as the favourite due to her ranking, the current dynamics suggest a more balanced match than many might expect.
