Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Washington match.
Yulia Putintseva was once a difficult match-up for Naomi Osaka, but the former World No. 1 has taken the last three meetings between the two. The Japanese will look to extend that run on her preferred surface.
Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka has always thrived on hard courts—she has captured all of her Grand Slam titles on this surface. Since returning to the circuit, she has yet to lift a trophy, but a semi-final run in Brisbane earlier this season was a step in the right direction, though it ended prematurely due to injury. Osaka is known for fast starts, having claimed the opening set in six of her last seven matches. Since 2019, she has defeated Yulia Putintseva three times, each by a margin covering a -2.5 games handicap.
Yulia Putintseva
Yulia Putintseva’s form has dipped notably. After a promising start to the season that saw her break into the WTA top 20, she has struggled to maintain her level. On hard courts, Putintseva has lost six of her last seven matches. Since the end of May, she has managed just one win in her last six appearances.
Naomi Osaka vs Yulia Putintseva Prediction
Naomi Osaka goes into this match as the clear favourite. She is far more consistent on hard courts and has convincingly won recent head-to-head encounters. The Japanese is expected to win this match by a margin of at least three games.
