WTA Finals 2021: Maria Sakkari vs Iga Swiatek preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (4) Maria Sakkari vs (5) Iga Swiatek

Date: 11 November 2021

Tournament: Akron WTA Finals 2021

Round: Round-robin (Group Chichen Itza)

Venue: Guadalajara, Mexico

Category: WTA Finals

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $5,000,000

Match timing: 2 pm local time, 8 pm GMT, 1.30 am IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Maria Sakkari vs Iga Swiatek preview

Maria Sakkari and Iga Swiatek will battle each other in the first round-robin match of Group Chichen Itza at the 2021 WTA Finals.

2021 has been a breakthrough season for Sakkari as she finally took her career to the next level. She reached her maiden Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros and even held match points against eventual winner Barbora Krejcikova, but failed to get across the finish line.

She followed it up with another last four showing at the US Open, along with four other semifinal appearances -- at the Miami Open, Abu Dhabi Open, Grampians Trophy, and the Kremlin cup. She also made it to the final at the Ostrava Open.

Sakkari also has a good record against the top ten players this year. She has a tally of seven wins, more than any other player in the WTA Finals. Sakkari is tied with Ashleigh Barty and Jessica Pegula for the same record on the tour in 2021.

Sakkari's good showing throughout the year resulted in a top ten debut in September and she is currently at a career-high ranking of number 6.

Iga Swiatek at the 2021 WTA Finals draw ceremony.

Much was expected of Iga Swiatek after her dominant run at last year's French Open. While she didn't win a Slam this year, she was the most consistent player on the women's tour at the majors. The Polish player is the only one to reach at least the fourth round of all Grand Slams. She also reached the doubles final at Roland Garros.

Swiatek won two titles this year. The first at the WTA 1000 in Rome, where she recorded a confident victory against former world no. 1 Karolina Pliskova, winning 6-0 6-0. Her consistent season has seen Swiatek rise to a career-high ranking of number 4. The youngster has shown all the signs of being a top ten mainstay for years to come.

Maria Sakkari vs Iga Swiatek head-to-head

Maria Sakkari and Iga Swiatek have played against each other twice so far, with the Greek winning both encounters in straight sets. Both matches took place this year. In their first encounter, Sakkari ended Swiatek's French Open title defense 6-4 6-4 and then defeated her in the Ostrava Open semifinals 6-4 7-5.

Maria Sakkari vs Iga Swiatek prediction

Iga Swiatek at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open.

However, both players have faced a halt in their momentum. Swiatek hasn't played since she lost in the fourth round at Indian Wells over a month ago. Sakkari lost her opening round match at the same tournament. The Greek also retired from her semifinal match at the Kremlin Cup after going down 1-4 in the first set.

Both players are known for their aggressive all-court style of play and as such a fast-paced contest is to be expected.

Sakkari has heavier and more powerful groundstrokes of the two. Her serve is also slightly better than Swiatek's. She's currently eighth on the aces leaderboard in 2021, having served 234 aces. Her strong serve will help her win some free points during the match.

Swiatek's aggressive style is balanced by her tactical acumen. She takes her time to construct points before going for the winner. Her experience in doubles will also help her as she's more comfortable at the net than her opponent.

But the loss of momentum and some nerves on their WTA Finals debut could also disrupt their games.

The slow, bouncy court and high altitude of Guadalaraja will be tricky to handle as well. Whoever adapts the quickest will have the upper hand in this contest.

Prediction: Maria Sakkari to win in three sets.