Eighth seed Simona Halep will play Top 10 debutant Maria Sakkari in a blockbuster quarterfinal at the 2021 Kremlin Cup on Friday, October 22. Get the live streaming options of this Simona Halep v Maria Sakkari match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Simona Halep v Maria Sakkari Head to Head
Incredibly, Halep and Sakkari have never crossed paths on the WTA tour before this.
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Halep Holds Off Russian Charge
Simona Halep gave a thorough demonstration of her fighting qualities amid premature talk of her potential decline. At 30, and a newlywed, Halep is being dismissed as tournament favorite now that her ranking has dropped considerably to a lowly No. 19.
Having also parted ways with her longtime coach Darren Cahill, results haven’t been Halep’s cup of tea in recent weeks. But we cannot question her desire to compete. Halep still boasts one of the longest active streaks of winning a WTA title in each of the last eight seasons.
The Romanian will aim to keep that record intact this week. It has been a frustrating season, to say the least. She is yet to add to her trophy cabinet this year. Injuries and off-court commitments have certainly taken precedence.
But Halep was at her magnificent best in dispatching the big-serving Veronika Kudermetova in straight sets. She tamed a second Russian opponent in quick succession, winning 6-1 7-6.
After steamrolling through the opening set, Kudermetova improved immeasurably in the second where she forced a tiebreak. But Halep’s extraordinary defenses could not be breached.
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Sakkari Advances After Opponent Retires
Maria Sakkari secured her passage into the last eight of the Kremlin Cup after her opponent Anna Kalinskaya retired whilst trailing 2-6 0-1. The World No. 7 stayed perfect in the first set, winning all nine points behind her first serve and breaking Kalinskaya on two occasions.
The heavy-hitting Russian was playing her 10th straight match in October having reached the fourth round of Indian Wells as a qualifier. She had also scaled the qualifying rounds in Moscow to reach the main draw.
Unfortunately for Kalinskaya, that many matches in such a short space of time took its toll on her body and handed Sakkari a straight ticket into the quarters.
It was a case of double celebration for the Greek who checked off another big milestone in her decade-long career. Sakkari becomes the fifth player to qualify at the season-ending WTA Finals.
She will join the likes of Barty, Sabalenka, Krejcikova, and Pliskova on the flight to Guadalajara – which is the newest staging of this year’s event.
Sakkari, who is fresh from making her Top 10 debut, is set to become the first Greek woman to qualify for the year-end championships.
Halep v Sakkari Prediction and Tip
This engrossing matchup feels like a complete power shift. Sakkari has now established herself as a Top 10 player as Halep continues to tumble down the rankings. But you cannot write off the Romanian in spite of her torrid year on the court.
Tip: Three sets in the match: 6/4 (Click Here to Bet with bet365)
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The 2021 Kremlin Cup will be played from October 18 to October 24. You can watch & bet on these matches here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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