Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Washington match.
Maria Sakkari could celebrate her 30th birthday in the US capital by reaching the third round of the tournament, but standing in her way is Katie Boulter. Boulter is renowned for her tenacity and won’t give anything away without a battle.
Maria Sakkari
Maria Sakkari has faced difficulties on quicker surfaces. This season, her only back-to-back wins have come on clay, while on hard courts, she has suffered seven defeats in her last ten appearances. Particularly troubling is her record against top-50 players: she has lost eight of ten matches across all surfaces. As a result, Sakkari has fallen out of the WTA top 50 and is now ranked 90th.
Katie Boulter
Katie Boulter has shown consistency, combining resilience with endurance. Ten of her last twelve matches have gone to three sets, indicating a strong competitive edge. Her record on hard courts is respectable — four wins in eight matches — whereas Maria Sakkari has lost ten of fifteen on this surface during the current campaign. Their head-to-head record is level, with one hard-court victory apiece. Notably, their latest encounter also went the distance in three sets.
Maria Sakkari vs Katie Boulter Prediction
Considering Sakkari's struggles on fast courts and Boulter's determined style of play, Katie looks the more likely winner. That said, Maria is expected to put up significant resistance, likely pushing the match beyond 22 games. Ultimately, however, Katie Boulter is tipped to come out on top.
