Yulia Putintseva vs Kimberly Birrell Prediction & Betting Tips - Hobart International

Prediction published on 06/01/2024, 05:35  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 06/01/2024 at 06:35 in Tennis Predictions

Yulia Putintseva takes on Australian KImberly Birrell in the final qualifying round of the Hobart International. For the winner there's a place in the main draw with possible opponents including fifth seeded Marie Bouzkhova or ninth seed Tatyana Maria. Putintseva is currently ranked 63rd but a place lower in the live rankings. The Russian is the second seed in qualifying and had a comfortable straight sets win over Nao Hibino in the first qualifying round and only lost four games. This is her second tournament of the 2024 season having played in Auckland in the past week. That saw her lose in her first match against Wang Xinyu without winning a set. The 28-year-old has a career high of 27th but that was achieved seven years ago.  2023 highlights included a semi-final in a hard court event in Guangzhou last September and a clay court tourament in Sweden last summer. In Grand Slam events, Putintseva will want to do well at the upcoming Australian Open after losing in the first round of the last two events.

Kimbely Birrell received a wild card into the Brisbane International but lost in the first round to qualifier Olivia Gadecki. The first set was won but then lost the next two with only four games won. Birrell is 117th in the live rankings but was a career high 100th last September. The 25-year-old beat Jaqueline Cristian (the 11th seed in qualifying) in her first match in Hobart. Birrell won two ITF tournaments last year, one on a hard court, the other on a carpet surface. This is their first meeting and we go for Putintseva to win and make it into the main draw.