WTA San Diego Open – Swiatek, Gauff, Pegula Headline
Swiatek Vulnerable to the Upset?
World No.1 Iga Swiatek leads the charge in Southern California this week. She’s joined by a stellar lineup of players at the inaugural San Diego Open – an event on the WTA calendar and the last WTA 500 event of the season.
Predictably, Swiatek is the bookmaker’s favorite to win the title at the sportsbook exchange. She’s the best player on the women’s tour and without question the player to beat. But winning the title isn’t a given.
Swiatek willl face stiff competition from all sides of the draw. From top contenders such as Maria Sakkari and Carolina Garcia, the American contingent includes Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, and the slew of darkhorse challengers such as Bianca Andreescu, Leylah Fernandez, and Madison Keys.
Below, we bring you a preview of the WTA San Diego Open. We’ll check the latest Tennis picks, stats, injury reports, and Tennis predictions for this distinguished event and serve up our choice of Tennis expert picks for you to consider.
So without too much fuss, let’s get started.
WTA San Diego Open Preview
First Quarter: Swiatek & Gauff On Collision Course
- Top Seeds: No. 1 Swiatek and No. 6 Gauff
- Dangerous Floater (s): Muguruza and Andreescu
Swiatek’s run of 10 straight wins in a tournament final reached an end this weekend, with Barbora Krejcikova defeating the World No.1 in the Ostrava final, coming from a set down to clinch the victory in three, 5-7, 7-6 (4). 6-3.
THIS STUNNER BY KREJCIKOVA 💪
Incredible: Iga Swiatek has lost a final! After 10 wins in a row, Barbora Krejcikova stops World No.1's winning streak winning the title in Ostrava 5-7 7-6 6-3
Amazing! pic.twitter.com/q3rhISkxGS
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) October 9, 2022
It’s a quick turnaround for Swiatek, fronting the draw of the inaugural WTA San Diego tournament. Not to mention the pressure she faces as the bookmaker’s favorite on the tennis odds board.
But what are her realistic chances in San Diego? To begin with, the long-haul flight from the Czech Republic to San Diego is bound to take its toll. Then, there’s the draw, which looms daunting to say the least.
Swiatek falls into the first quarter that includes American hopeful Coco Gauff and three Grand Slam champions, Garbine Muguruza, Bianca Andreescu and the recently crowned Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Swiatek gets a bye in the first round. She’ll face the winner of Muguruza vs Rybakina in the R16. In the quarterfinals, she could face Gauff. The 18-year-old gets a bye in the R32 too. She’ll face the winner of Andreescu vs Liudmilla Samsonova.
Second Quarter: Pegula and Kasatkina On Collision Course
- Top Seeds: No. 4 Pegula and No. 8 Kasatkina
- Dangerous Floater (s): Keys, Kenin, Vanderweghe, Fernandez
The second quarter of the draw is loaded with domestic favorites – from World No. 6 Pegula to Californian native Madison Keys, former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and veteran Coco Vanderweghe.
Pegula is the highest seed in this section and she receives a bye in the R32. Russia’s Daria Kasatkina is the second top seed in this quarter, but as the eighth seed, she doesn’t get a bye.
Pegula will face the winner of Vandeweghe vs Kenin in the R16. If this section falls in line with the draw, she could face Kasatkina in the quarters. However, the Russian’s form has declined in recent weeks, highlighted by a first-round exit at the US Open. Therefore, she’s not a sure bet to reach the final eight.
Kasatikina’s first-round opponent is no cakewalk. 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez looms as a dangerous floater in this section. Should Kasastikina overcome Fernandez, she’ll face either a qualifier or Keys.
Third Quarter: Sabalenka and Sakkari on Collision Course
- Top Seeds: No. 3 Sabalenka and No. 5 Sakkari
- Dangerous Floater (s): Pliskova, Kudermetova, Stephens
Sabalenka and Sakkari spearhead a wide-open third quarter of the draw that includes heavy hitters Karolina Pliskova, Veronika Kudermetova, and former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
According to the seeding, Sabalenka and Sakkari should meet in the quarterfinals. But anyone of the aforementioned ladies could make the final eight here – the quality contained within this section is that good.
Sakkari is coming off a loss in the R16 of the Ostrava Open. Prior to that, she reached the final of the Emilia Romagna Open (l. to Sheriff).
Backing up a first Top-20 win with a FIRST TOP-10 WIN 🙌
🇺🇸 Alycia Parks comes from a set down against No.4 seed Sakkari to reach the #OstravaOpen quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/vO3WyWiWYI
— wta (@WTA) October 6, 2022
Sakkari opens her campaign in the R32 against a qualifier. If she wins her opener, she’ll take on either another qualifier or Pliskova, who is 1-2 since reaching the US Open quarterfinals.
Sabalenka gets a bye into the R16 where she’ll take on the winner of Kudermetova vs Stephens.
Fourth Quarter
- Top Seeds: No. 2 Badosa and No. 7 Garcia
- Dangerous Floater (s): Collins. Trevisan, Riske-Amritraj
Spain’s Badosa headlines the fourth quarter as the No. 2 seed. But according to the betting online odds, this is Caroline Garcia’s section to win. The French woman is coming off a standout summer, winning the Cincinnati Open title and reaching the US Open semifinals.
Caroline Garcia (-120) is off to the semis at the US Open!
Oh, she also hasn’t dropped a set in the ENTIRE TOURNAMENT! 🔥 😳
(🎥:@usopen)
— TSN EDGE (@TSN_Edge) September 7, 2022
Garcia gets a tough first-round opponent in American Danielle Collins. Collins is a feisty competitor and she’ll give Garcia all she can handle. Should Garcai overcome Collins in the R32, she’ll face either Italian Martina Trevisan or a qualifier.
Badosa gets a bye in the first round. She’ll take on either American Alison Riske-Amritraj or a qualifier in the R16.
