Three qualifying final picks from Makarska today, with clear skies and temperatures around 21°C making for ideal conditions on the clay. A spot in the main draw is on the line in each of these, so there's plenty at stake. Who do you think gets through?
WTA Makarska Open Predictions
Erika Andreeva vs Elina Avanesyan
Head-to-head: Avanesyan leads 2-0
The H2H makes this one awkward. Avanesyan has beaten Andreeva twice already, and at this level that kind of familiarity matters. But Andreeva is ranked nearly 100 spots higher and has been the more consistent player on clay this season, and at some point the ranking gap has to show up.
Avanesyan has had her moments and won't be an easy out here, but I think Andreeva finally flips the script. It might take three sets though.
Prediction: Andreeva in 3
Akasha Urhobo vs Lea Boskovic
Head-to-head: First meeting
First meeting between these two, and the ranking gap does most of the talking. Urhobo is 235 spots above Boskovic and has the kind of clay-court baseline game that tends to wear down lower-ranked opponents in slow conditions. Boskovic is a wildcard here without much data to go on, but a 235-spot difference is hard to paper over. Hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: Urhobo in 3
Yasmine Kabbaj vs Dalila Jakupovic
Head-to-head: First meeting
Kabbaj comes in ranked 80 spots above Jakupovic and is the more comfortable clay-court player of the two, at least based on where she's picked up her ranking points. That said, Jakupovic has experience and won't be a pushover, but Kabbaj should have enough to get through here, all things considered. These kinds of qualifying finals on clay can drag, so three sets feels right.
Prediction: Kabbaj in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © PI via ZUMA Press Wire