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Part of the WTA tour heads to South America this week, where the Copa Colsanitas is scheduled to start from 5 April.
Like many others, this event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and now returns for the first time since 2019. However, defending champion Amanda Anisimova will not be returning to Bogota; the American is playing in Charleston instead.
World No. 53 Saisai Zheng is the top seed in Bogota, followed by Sara Sorribes Tormo who is seeded second. The draw also features former champion Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who is unseeded this time.
Arantxa Rus, Clara Tauson, Tamara Zidansek, Jasmine Paolini, Tereza Martincova and Yafan Wang complete the top eight seeds. But none of the seeds have received a bye; the tournament will feature a total of 32 players, including six qualifiers.
Without further ado, let us look at the draw for this year's event:
Top half: Saisai Zheng and Clara Tauson headline a strong section
Seeded players: [1] Saisai Zheng, [4] Clara Tauson, [6] Jasmine Paolini and [7] Tereza Martincova
Expected semifinal: Sasai Zheng vs Clara Tauson
Dark horse: Tereza Martincova
Analysis: Top seed Sasai Zheng begins her Copa Colsanitas campaign against American youngster Usue Maitane Arconada.
It is pertinent to note, however, that Zheng's form coming into this event has been nothing short of woeful. The Chinese has lost seven of her nine matches in 2021, which includes a run of five straight defeats.
If Zheng survives her clash against Arconada, one of Stefanie Voegele or a qualifier would await the 27-year-old in the second round. Voegele hasn't been in great form either, and doesn't boast of a particularly stellar record on clay.
America's Sachia Vickery will take on former US Open junior champion and home-hope Maria Camila Osorio Serrano in the first round. Both players have proven themselves on clay in the ITF circuit, but Vickery has a lot more experience than the Colombian.
After giving a tough fight to eventual runner-up Bianca Andreescu in the opening round of the Miami Open, Tereza Martincova will head to Bogota with a fair bit of confidence. The Czech is seeded seventh and will take on Leonie Kung in the first round here, with a potential quarterfinal matchup against Zheng looming.
Clara Tauson, who recently won her maiden WTA tour title in Lyon, is the biggest attraction of the next quarter. The 18-year-old did well on clay as a junior, and will be hoping to find her groove ahead of what could be a defining season for her.
Tauson has been drawn to face a qualifier in the first round. Should she come out of that match unscathed, Tauson will face another qualifier or Mihaela Buzarnescu in the next round. Buzarnescu is a solid campaigner on clay, and would be no pushover.
Colombia's Jessica Plazas faces a qualifier in the opening round, while eighth seed Jasmine Paolini takes on America's Kristie Ahn. Paolini is a lot more experienced and accomplished on clay than Ahn, and is the favorite to win that first-round contest.
Semifinal prediction: Saisai Zheng vs Clara Tauson
Bottom half: Sara Sorribes Tormo looking to build on her breakthrough, Sara Errani hoping for a second career wind
Seeded players: [2] Sara Sorribes Tormo, [3] Arantxa Rus, [5] Tamara Zidansek, and [8] Yafan Wang
Expected semifinal: Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Arantxa Rus
Dark horse: Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Analysis: Sara Sorribes Tormo is coming into the Copa Colsanitas on the back of a fine performance at the Miami Open, where she made the quarterfinals. However, the Spaniard has been presented with a very tricky draw in Bogota.
Experienced warhorse Sara Errani awaits Sorribes Tormo in the first round, which is likely to be a difficult matchup for both players. Errani is a former French Open finalist, and would be looking to regain some of the form that once made her such an irresistible force on clay.
If Sorribes Tormo manages to get past Errani, she could lock horns against Aliono Bolsova or 2018 champion Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Interestingly, Sorribes Tormo recently defeated Schmiedlova, at the Monterrey event.
Astra Sharma begins her campaign against a qualifier, while fifth seed Tamara Zidansek takes on Anna Kalinskya in her opening round fixture. Zidansek vs Kalinskaya is likely to grab many eyeballs as the Slovenian is extremely proficient on clay while the Russian has been in excellent form of late.
Third seed Arantxa Rus will play Irina Bara in the first round. Rus has lost five of her six matches this year, while Bara is on a five-match losing streak. This match-up presents both players with the chance to turn their seasons around.
Cristina Bucsa opens against a qualifier. Buca is a known name on the ITF circuit, where she has enjoyed moderate success on clay.
Experienced doubles operator Anna-Lena Friedsam, who is also on a five-match losing spree, plays Viktoriya Tomova in the opening round. The winner will take on either Yafan Wang or Emiliana Arango.
Wang is on a six-match losing streak, which includes five defeats out of five matches in 2021 alone. It would be interesting to see how the young and talented Arango deals with the challenge of a severely out-of-form Wang.
Semifinal prediction: Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Viktoriya Tomova
Predicted final
Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Clara Tauson
Predicted champion
Sara Sorribes Tormo
