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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Iga Swiatek vs (3) Aryna Sabalenka
Date: 24 April 2022
Tournament: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2022
Round: Final
Venue: Stuttgart, Germany
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $757,900
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka preview
Top seed Iga Swiatek will square off against third seed Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Sunday.
The World No. 1 has had a dream run so far this season, winning 31 out of 34 matches. Swiatek had a fairly decent Australian summer but her dominance started in the Middle East and continued in the United States.
The 20-year-old won the Qatar Open by thrashing Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 6-0 in the final. She then won the Sunshine Double to make it three successive WTA 1000 titles.
After helping Poland thrash Romania 4-0 in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, Swiatek entered the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart as the top seed and started with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Eva Lys in the second round.
She then beat US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-4 to seal her place in the semifinals. The Pole found herself in a spot of bother against Liudmila Samsonova, but showed her class to win in three sets. While Swiatek's 28-set winning streak was broken, she was nevertheless able to prevail and advance to her fourth successive final.
Sabalenka had a pretty disappointing start to the season. The Belarusian was knocked out in the opening rounds of two WTA events in Adelaide before exiting the Australian Open in the fourth round.
The Belarusian was then beaten by Petra Kvitova in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. She reached the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open before being beaten by eventual champion Swiatek. Sabalenka's poor form continued in the United States, where she suffered second-round exits at Indian Wells and Miami and a third-round exit at the Charleston Open.
The Belarusian entered the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart as the third seed and received a bye to the second round. She beat Bianca Andreescu 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals, where she was up against Anett Kontaveit. Sabalenka beat the Estonian for the fifth straight time to set up a semi-final clash against Paula Badosa.
The 23-year-old beat a tired-looking Badosa in straight sets to reach her first final this season.
Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka head-to-head
Sunday's final will be the third match between the two players, with the head-to-head currently tied at 1-1.
Sabalenka won their first meeting at last year's WTA Finals in three sets. Swiatek responded by beating the Belarusian 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of this year's Qatar Open.
Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka odds
Swiatek is the oddsmakers' favorite heading into the final. The Pole has been in scintillating form this season, winning 22 matches on the trot. Sabalenka, on the other hand, has won just 10 out of 18 matches this year.
All Odds sourced from Oddschecker.
Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka prediction
Swiatek will enter the final as the favorite, but Sabalenka should not be written off as she looks to have found her rhythm after a slow start to the season. The Belarusian's victories over Kontaveit and Badosa prove that she is capable of beating anybody on her day.
Both players have had a good record on clay in recent times. Swiatek has won 15 out of 17 matches on the surface since the start of 2021 while Sabalenka has won 17 out of 21 in the same period.
Swiatek will look to control the match with her powerful groundstrokes and excellent court coverage. Her topspin forehand will be an especially potent weapon and one that could do a lot of damage.
The Pole seems to have sorted out the mental side of her game this season, which is a major reason for her unprecedented success. If she can maintain her composure, it could be a deciding factor in the final.
Sabalenka is a powerful hitter and has a very strong serve which has seen her land 24 aces in the tournament. However, the 23-year-old has also hit 20 double faults. She might need to keep her aggression in check, at least early on, in order to reduce her unforced errors.
The match promises to be an exciting one and while Swiatek has been in sensational form, Sabalenka might just be the one to put an end to her extraordinary winning streak.
Pick: Aryna Sabalenka to win in three sets.
