Linda Noskova vs Elena Rybakina Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Brisbane

Prediction published on 05/01/2024, 09:47  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 05/01/2024 at 14:00 in Tennis Predictions

Unseeded Linda Noskova bids to reach the final of the Brisbane International. To do so the Czech has to get past Elena Rybakina who is the second seed for this opening WTA tournament of the year. The winner will take on either top seeded Aryna Sabalenka or the eighth seed Victoria Azarenka. Noskova must love playing in the first event of the year in Australia. Last year she got all the way to the final of the Adelaide International but lost to Sabalenka and she'll hope for a chance of revenge in the final of the Brisbane International. The 19-year-old was ranked 40th at the start of this tournament but is defending all those points won last January and is 51st in the live rankings. Reaching the final will take her up to 41st on the list. It's not been an easy route to this semi-final and Noskova was a set down against qualifier Timeo Babos in round one. Her next two matches also went to a final set and in the quarter final, the Czech beat Mirra Andreeva but this time without dropping a set.

Elena Rybakina is the second seed and fourth in the world rankings. A win here could see her climb up to third in the live list if Coco Gauff loses her semi-final in the Auckland Classic. The 24-year-old won two WTA tournaments in 2023 and both were high level ones at Indian Wells and the Italian Open. Rybakina also made it to the final of the Australian Open where she was beaten by Aryna Sabalenka. So far in this tournament, the second seed has been in dominant form. Three matches have been won in straight sets and only seven games lost. In the last 16 she beat 13th seed Elise Mertens and only dropped one game. The quarter final saw her win the first set against unseeded Anastasia Potapova to love and her opponent then retired. We go for Rybakina to win this in straight sets.