WTA Finals 2021: Women's Singles Group analysis, preview and prediction

After missing out last year, the WTA Finals will be back this year and will commence from November 10. The tournament will feature the best 8 players from the season.

Tournament Details:

Tournament: WTA Finals 2021
Date: November 10- November 17, 2021
Number of Entrants: 8 (Singles), 8 (Doubles)
Venue: Guadalajara, Mexico
Surface: Hard Court
Prize Money: $5,000,000
Defending champion: Ash Barty

Players competing at WTA Finals

Aryna Sabalenka
Barbora Krejcikova
Karolina Pliskova
Maria Sakkari
Iga Swiatek
Garbine Muguruza
Paula Badosa
Anett Kontaveit

Group Preview and Prediction

Group Chichen Itza

Group Chichen Itza consists of top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, 4th seed Maria Sakkari, 5th seed Iga Swiatek and the 7th seed Paula Badosa. Aryna Sabalenka will be the player to beat in the group. The World No.2 has had a decent season where she had an exceptional clay court season. She won the Madrid Open and made it to the final at Stuttgart. She then reached the semifinals of both Wimbledon and the US Open, which also saw her climb up to No.2 in the ranking. Sabalenka starts as the favorite to top the group.

Maria Sakkari has had a breakthrough 2021 season. She became the first Greek woman to break into the top 10 of the world courtesy her stellar show at the majors. She made it to the semifinals of both Roland Garros and the US Open and followed it up with a title triumph at Ostrava.

2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek has been very consistent throughout the season. She’s the only female player on the tour to reach the second week of every major this season. Post the US Open, she made it to the semifinal at Ostrava before bowing out of the Round of 16 at Indian Wells.

Paula Badosa is the dark horse in this group. She has time and again proved this season that she has the ability to clinch the crunch moments and is known for her giant killing abilities. Expect her to pull off some amazing tennis in Guadalajara.

Predicted semifinalists: Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek

Group Teotihuacan

Group Teotihuacan consists of 2nd seed Barbora Krejcikova, 3rd seed Karolina Pliskova, 6th seed Garbine Muguruza and 8th seed Anett Kontaveit. Although Krejcikova is seeded higher than Pliskova, Pliskova will start has the favorite to top the group given the nature of the court.

Karolina Pliskova has had a decent season so far given her high standards. After a poor opening stint, she made it to the final of Rome Open and also made it to the final at Wimbledon. She then reached the final of Canadian Open and followed it up with a semifinal at Cincinnati.

Multiple grand slam champion Garbine Muguruza has had a mixed season so far. After bowing out of the third round at Wimbledon, she reached the Round of 16 at Flushing Meadows. She then won the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic and followed it up with a quarterfinal outing at Moscow.

Estonian Anett Kontaveit has had a dream second half of the 2021 season. After bowing out of the third round of US Open, she won the Ostrava Open and also made it to the quarterfinal at Indian Wells. She then won the Kremlin Cup at Moscow and followed it up with another title victory at the Transylvania Open, which enabled her to compete at Guadalajara this week.

Predicted semifinalists: Karolina Pliskova and Anett Kontaveit

Semifinals

Aryna Sabalenka is expected to face Anett Kontaveit in the first semifinal. The top seed will enter the match as the favorite to win but will be wary of Kontaveit’s amazing form. She will want her baseline strokes to fire once again and will fancy her chances to make it to the final.

In the second semifinal, Iga Swiatek will lock horns against Karolina Pliskova. The Pole has been very consistent but hasn’t made it deep into the tournaments this season much. Pliskova will start as the favorite and will want to cruise into the final.

Predicted final: Aryna Sabalenka vs Karolina Pliskova

Final

Two of the best players on the current WTA tour, Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Pliskova will battle it out in the final. Both Sabalenka and Pliskova have very similar game style and love to hit hard from the baseline. Their game is suited for the fast courts and hence the match is expected to go down the distance.

Champion: Aryna Sabalenka