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The TEB BNP Paribas Tennis Championship is one of two WTA events being played this week, as the clay swing returns to Europe. And the 250-level tournament in Istanbul has attracted quite a few established names, some of whom have already tasted title glory this year.
World No. 17 Elise Mertens headlines the field, as she looks to win her second singles title of the year. Phillip Island Trophy quarter-finalist and World No. 21 Petra Martic is the second seed.
Third seed Veronika Kudermetova, meanwhile, is coming in on the back of a breakthrough run at Charleston. And fourth seed Daria Kasatkina, who has won two titles this year (Phillip Island Trophy and St. Petersburg), will also be brimming with confidence.
Main draw action at the 32-player field will kick off on 19 April, with the final scheduled for 25 April. On that note, here's an in-depth look at how the draw is likely to unfold.
Top half: Elise Mertens, Veronika Kudermetova, Kaia Kanepi and Barbora Krejcikova packed in the same section
Seeded players: (1) Elise Mertens, (3) Veronika Kudermetova, (5) Barbora Krejcikova, (7) Saisai Zheng
Expected semifinal: Elise Mertens vs Veronika Kudermetova
Dark horse: Barbora Krejcikova
Analysis: The top half of the draw is packed with players who have been performing well in the 2021 season.
After falling in her Charleston opener to Alize Cornet, top seed Elise Mertens will be eager to bounce back in Istanbul and get a few good matches under her belt. The Charleston loss was a blip in what has otherwise been a highly consistent season for Mertens, and she can be expected to get back to winning ways soon.
The Australian Open women's doubles champion starts her campaign against a qualifier, and could meet Lyon and Acapulco runner-up Viktorija Golubic after that. Kristina Mladenovic or seventh seed Saisai Zheng could be Mertens' quarterfinal opponent, but it is the semifinal stage from where things get interesting.
Third seed Veronika Kudermetova just showed her claycourt prowess at Charleston, and will likely pose a tough challenge for Mertens if they meet. But Kudermetova herself has a couple of obstacles to overcome before she can set up the match with the Belgian.
Gippsland Trophy runner-up Kaia Kanepi has been a former two-time French Open quarterfinalist, and she has the kind of big game that can throw any draw wide open. Fifth seed Barbora Krejcikova has also been making rapid strides over the past few months, and will likely be a tough opponent for Kudermetova if they meet in the quarters.
Krejcikova reached the Dubai final this year and also made the fourth round of the French Open in 2020, giving ample evidence of her fighting spirit. Given her newfound confidence in singles, a deep run at Istanbul wouldn't be surprising in the least.
Semifinal prediction: Elise Mertens vs Barbora Krejcikova
Bottom half: Petra Martic, Daria Kasatkina, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Ana Konjuh to fight for supremacy
Seeded players: (2) Petra Martic, (4) Daria Kasatkina, (6) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, (8) Qiang Wang
Expected semifinal: Petra Martic vs Daria Kasatkina
Dark horse: Ana Konjuh
Analysis: World No. 21 Petra Martic leads the bottom half of the draw but has a big obstacle right in the opening round, in the form of Fiona Ferro. The champion at Palermo last year, Ferro will likely be quite a handful for the Croat.
If Martic overcomes the Ferro challenge, she could go face-to-face with Russian comeback queen Vera Zvonareva.
A former French Open quarterfinalist, Zvonareva has the skills and the experience to shake up the draw. The 36-year-old made the semis at her home event in St. Petersburg earlier this year, and will be hoping to carry her momentum into the clay season.
Sixth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is the potential quarterfinal opponent for Martic. An hard-hitting baseliner who thrives on both quick and slow surfaces, Pavlyuchenkova has made the quarters at all the four Slams. And a return to clay might just help the Russian put behind her early-season woes and get a couple of wins.
If Petra Martic gets through all those hurdles, she will likely face the in-form Daria Kasatkina in the semifinals. Needless to say, the Croat has a tough job on her hands if she wants to get to the championship match.
Kasatkina's graceful movement and heavy topspin forehand have helped her achieve a lot of success on clay in the past. She seemed to have lost her way after breaking into the top 10 a couple of years ago, but the 23-year-old has looked like her old self in 2021.
The two titles she has won this year would have greatly boosted Kasatkina's confidence, and she will look to continue in the same vein during her favorite part of the season.
That said, the fourth seed doesn't have the easiest path to the last-four. Kasatkina might have to deal with rising star Marta Kostyuk in the second round. Things could get even trickier after that, with one of 2012 French Open runner-up Sara Errani or former junior World No. 1 Ana Konjuh possibly waiting in the quarters.
Semifinal prediction: Daria Kasatkina vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Prediction for the final
Elise Mertens vs Daria Kasatkina
Predicted champion
Daria Kasatkina
