Iga Swiatek vs Jessica Pegula Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Qatar Open

Prediction published on 17/02/2023, 13:14  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 18/02/2023 at 02:00 in Tennis Predictions

Well, this doesn't happen too often in women's singles tournaments. The top two seeds face each other in the final of the Qatar Total Open as Iga Swiatek takes on Jessica Pegula. Swiatek is the defending champion here and has had a rather spectacular route to the final. The Pole has had three matches to play to get to this title decider. However, her quarter final match didn't get on court due to Belinda Bencic withdrawing. That left Swiatek with a second round match against Danielle Collins and a semi-final with Veronika Kudermetova. Both matches were won by the top seed 6-0 6-1 so just two games lost by her this week. A win over Pegula will be her first title of the year as was the case in 2022.

Jessica Pegula began this week in fourth place in the rankings but is up to third in the live rankings. That equals her career high ranking that was achieved last October. The American is in only her third tournament of the year but chasing her second title. The year began with Pegula being part of the USA team that won the United Cup. Of her five singles matches in that tournament, only Petra Kvitova beat her. Her best win was defeating Iga Swiatek for the loss of only four games. The Australian Open saw Pegula get to the quarter final but lost in straight sets to Victoria Azarenka. That was her fifth Grand Slam quarter final, all of which have been lost. This is only her sixth WTA Tour Final with just two titles won, one being in 2019 and the other in Guadaljara last year. It's been a more difficult route to this final for Pegula. In fact, she'd played more games than Swiatek all week during the second set of her round two match against Jolena Ostapenko  Pegula had to go to three sets in that match and also went the distance in her semi-final with Maria Sakkari. Before that big win over Swiatek in the United Cup, Pegula had lost her last four matches against Swiatek. The American trails 4-2 in previous matches, the other win being recorded four years ago. It's always advisable to back Swiatek when she's in this kind of form, so go for her to win the title.