WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart 2017: Main Draw Preview

/ April 23, 2017

The next week promises to be one of the most intriguing on the WTA tour in 2017 as eight of the world’s top ten descend on Stuttgart at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The tournament will also see the return of Maria Sharapova – the Russian player will compete in her first match on Wednesday following 15 months out due to a drugs ban. As many players arrive from Fed Cup action, expect a staggered start in Stuttgart. Let’s take a look at the draw…

Note – this preview has been updated to reflect Dominika Cibulkova’s withdrawal from Stuttgart and the placement of qualifiers

Quarter 1

Angelique Kerber headlines the Stuttgart draw where she is currently riding a nine match winning streak having won the last two installments of this tournament. In Fed Cup action at the weekend, Kerber went 1-1 in Stuttgart with a straight sets win over Lesia Tsurenko on Saturday, but a fourth consecutive loss to Elina Svitolina on Sunday (on a side note, i’m baffled that Svitolina is playing Istanbul and not Stuttgart!).

Kerber’s first match in Stuttgart will be a tricky one against either Kristina Mladenovic or Mirjana Lucic-Baroni; both have displayed excellent form in 2017 with five top ten wins between them this year. Lucic-Baroni leads Mladenovic, 3-0 in their head-to-head – all three previous matches took place in 2016 and on clay. Lucic-Baroni won their last two in straights but their first ever encounter in Charleston was a see-sawing humdinger where MLB saved four match points to win, 4-6 6-4 7-6(13). Lucic-Baroni said in Charleston that she grew up on clay and likes the surface, and her confidence appears sky high following a successful tournament in Charleston. Mladenovic will arrive from Fed Cup duty where she dropped just three games (!) in two comprehensive wins over Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Another fascinating match from this quarter will be between fellow compatriots – Indian Wells champ, Elena Vesnina will take on Charleston champ, Daria Kasatkina. Vesnina and Kasatkina will be playing against each other for the first time on the WTA tour with Vesnina searching for a first win on the WTA tour since her triumph in the desert. Also in this section of the draw is Carla Suárez Navarro who was plagued by a shoulder injury for the first two months of the year and after early losses in both IW and Miami, finally began to show an upturn in form in Monterrey when she reached the semi-finals.

Quarter 2

Garbiñe Muguruza now headlines a juicy second quarter (we’ll get there!) and will play Ana Konjuh or Anett Kontaveit in the second round. Muguruza has taken Cibulkova’s place in the draw after she was forced to withdraw with a wrist injury. Muguruza has had a peculiar year – she’s been competing well on court, winning seven of eight three setters played, but she’s retired hurt or ill in half of the tournaments that she has played this year and skipped Fed Cup this weekend due to injury.

The big talking point of the draw is without doubt, Maria Sharapova – love her or loathe her, Wednesday night will be a moment not to be missed. Sharapova’s first match will be against Roberta Vinci. The Italian will like the faster surface but i’ve never felt clay is her best surface. Furthermore, Vinci has lost her last three matches on tour and Sharapova has won their two previous encounters for the loss of just four games. I think this is a good match-up on paper for Sharapova, yet trying to predict how she’ll get on this week is almost futile. There’s a case that the break from the tour will have given her time to heal niggly injuries that had plagued her a year ago; on the other hand, a lack of competitive matches cannot be ignored. It’s going to be fascinating to see how this week unfolds…

And if that’s not enough, there is the potential for a Sharapova-Radwanska second rounder. In light of recent comments made by Radwanska and Sharapova’s agent, Max Eisenbud, this would be, from a neutral standpoint, a rather delicious slice of WTA drama. Radwanska will first have to get past Ekaterina Makarova – Radwanska leads their head-to-head, 6-2, but hasn’t looked comfortable on the court this year and was overpowered in her most recent match, a 0-6 3-6 thumping to Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in Miami. This isn’t a particularly promising time for Radwanska heading into what has famously been her weakest stretch of the calendar.

Quarter 3

While Simona Halep and Johanna Konta (with a late wild card) are the two seeds in the third quarter of the draw, Sam Stosur will be one to watch based on how well her game transitions to the clay. The Aussie had a tremendous clay court season in 2016, rounding off with a glittering crescendo of a semi-final showing at Roland Garros. Stosur opens in Stuttgart against Anastasija Sevastova, who she defeated in straight sets earlier this year in Doha in one of the better matches she has played so far this year.

Halep’s first match of the week will be against Barbora Strycova or a qualifier. 2017 has been remarkably similar to 2016 for the Romanian player with a injury-affected first few months. She began to build some momentum in Miami, despite failing to serve out the win over Konta in the quarter-finals of Miami. Halep scored a superb 6-1 6-3 win over Konta in Fed Cup action this weekend (drama, drama, drama) in a performance where she stayed aggressive, even when Konta began playing more consistently in the second set. The Brit, Konta will take on the qualifier, Naomi Osaka in another fun first rounder. Osaka saved five match points in her second round qualifying win over Anna Zaja.

Quarter 4

The fourth and final quarter is rounded out by the number two seed and this year’s most consistent performer, Karolina Pliskova. The Czech player could face CoCo Vandeweghe in her first match – Vandeweghe has won their last two matches, notably serving her way out of trouble in their most recent match in Dubai last year. The American has stumbled since her breakthrough semi-final run at the Australian Open earlier this year but seems to be clawing her way back into form with two straight set wins in Fed Cup this weekend. Vandeweghe plays qualifier, Jelena Ostapenko in a feisty first rounder that promises to be rather glorious.

The other seed in this section is Svetlana Kuznetsova who looks set for a fruitful clay court season. The Russian player has quietly built a consistent year and clay is arguably her best surface. Kuznetsova will first have to overturn a negative head-to-head against Kiki Bertens in the first round.

The winner of Kuznetsova-Bertens will play Zhang Shuai or Laura Siegemund in the second round. Zhang and Siegemund played out a superb match of high quality tennis in Brisbane earlier this year, which Zhang Shuai won, 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3. Siegemund, last year’s finalist in Stuttgart and recently buoyed by a run to the semi-finals in Charleston, could be a dark horse in this draw.

Stuttgart Records

As mentioned above, Kerber has a great record in Stuttgart and hasn’t lost since 2014 when she fell to Carla Suárez Navarro. Dominika Cibulkova will be looking for her first ever win in Stuttgart having lost her last three matches at this tournament, the most recent of those in 2012. Of the eight seeds, Kuznetsova is the only other former champion in the first edition of this tournament on clay. Sharapova has a stunning record in Stuttgart with her only ever loss coming to Kerber in one of my favourite matches from 2015.

image

W-L records include results from qualifying since 2009 when this tournament moved to clay (Data from WTA and Tennis Abstract)

First Round Polls

WWW Stuttgart Poll

Stuttgart Media

Final thoughts

Predictions this week are going to be a hoot… from the bottom half, I like Halep and Kuznetsova. Halep looked sharp in Fed Cup action and with a bye, she’ll have some time to adjust to the courts in Stuttgart and get over a mentally draining tie against GB.  Halep is my champ.

Top half… not a clue! I fancy Sharapova to win a few rounds. On paper, I still see her beating everyone in the draw but I also think that if she were to progress through a few rounds, she would run into some physical and mental obstacles having been out for so long. Kerber’s first match is going to be a tricky one and i’m still undecided as to whether she can maintain her excellent form in Stuttgart. I’m not convinced by Muguruza, particularly with her recent injuries. I could see a surprise finalist, such as Lucic-Baroni or Konjuh, but i’m still deliberating!

Who do you think will win Stuttgart? Have your say in the tournament poll above and as always, comments are appreciated!

Photos in this post by mootennis.com

Related posts

38 thoughts on “WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart 2017: Main Draw Preview”

  2. I literally was just about to say I don’t have a clue why Svitolina isn’t playing Stuttgart. I understand why she was scheduled to play Morocco at the start of the year, but given she’s spent a week playing there and has had such a great year, it makes zero sense not to have wriggled out of Marrakesh and into Stuttgart!

    I’m going for Halep to win. Kuznetsova could be a dark horse but I don’t like her draw…

    Like

    Reply

    • Angie Kerber to win again IMO. It’s her home tournament, she knows everyone is thinking it’s time she won another one and she’ll be super-motivated to play her best tennis.

      Otherwise I agree with Andrew; Simona’s in with an excellent chance as she’s clearly in top form at the moment (and I’d like to see her win this one). I also agree it’s puzzling why Elina isn’t playing.

      Like

      Reply

      • I think Kerber’s chances depend on who she ends up meeting in her matches. If the bigger hitters make it (Vesnina, Muguruza) then I fancy Kerber’s chances. But if Kasatkina and Suarez Navarro set up a meeting with her, I’d fancy either one of them to beat the defending champ.

        Like

      • DariaK might do it, sure, but I don’t think Carla’s at her best at the moment (she’s still recovering from shoulder surgery) so I wouldn’t fancy her chances against Angie..

        Like

      • I’m intrigued to see how Kerber gets on, it’s a tournament she always raises her level at. Mlads or MLB in the second round will be very tricky.

        Like

  3. Svitolina in Constantinople-Big Fish, Little Pond-trophy hunting.— I think Kasatkina would have gotten more votes than some of the other players on your pole, although I’m picking Halep. Hopefully UTube is up for Sharapova’s matches. The draw- Kunjuh has a much softer voice than I would have imagined.

    Like

    Reply

  4. In the ITF in Dothan. Amanda Anismova,tall hard hitting US/Russian, won the first set then had a medical TO and lost the match to Kristy Ahn 6-1,6-2,6-2. Apparently the points leader in these spring ITF tournaments gets a Wildcard into the French Open. Amanda with two finals is the points leader. Sooooo. its possible that Sharipova and Sharapova(2) will both get WCs into the FO.

    Like

    Reply

  5. Sooooo excited for Thursday!!! I do hope it’s Sharapova vs. Radwanska for my own selfish reaons to watch them in the arena 🙂

    I agree with most of the comments here that the title could be won by anyone. I literally have no clue. I like Kuznetsova’s and Halep’s chances. However, Angie loves this tournament. I can’t see Sharapova winning though because I think it will take some time for her to adapt to competition mode once again …but who knows.

    Like

    Reply

    • Very hard to predict who’ll be in good enough form to come through , but in TDC, I’ve gone for Halep beating Kerber in the final.
      Really enjoyed watching this one last year,and won’t be able to this time.

      Like

      Reply

      • Feel the same and snap, gone for the same final. I quite like a surprise finalist such as Lucic-Baroni and Konjuh but was not brave enough! I’m so sad that the streaming isn’t up for this tournament because it is one of my favourites. Not too thrilled with tomorrow’s evening line-up so probably going to play tennis instead!

        Like

  6. It should also be pointed out that the last time Julia Georges won her country a Fed Cup tie on home soil, she went on to win the title (in 2011). She beat Wozniacki and Stosur on her way to the title.

    Like

    Reply

    • Shame to see Goerges not get a WC, I will never forget when she won in 2011. A really tough call between her and Siegemund. I would have personally preferred Goerges but Siegemund deserved it just as much based on how well she played last year in Stuttgart.

      Like

      Reply

      • Georges is one of the most frustrating players on the wta. Maybe one day she’ll have a Lucic Baroni late career bloom.

        Like

  7. Domi’s dropped out (of Stuttgart now) with a wrist injury inflicted during practice. Hope she’s better soon because those can be nasty (@Laura Robson). Trouble is that Domi trains really hard to try and compensate for her lack of stature, and maybe she overdid it this time.

    @Andrew; fair point about Carla. I like her game so I’ll be hoping she does well here.

    Like

    Reply

  9. I wouldnt be surprised 1% if Sharapova storms into the final while making a complete fool out of everyone on the way.
    Of course the match to watch will be Sharapova vs Radwanska if it does happen!

    Like

    Reply

    • She has the determination to do it. She also has a pretty favorable draw, no shocks there.
      With Serena being out of action now, the WTA are bound to pander to her even more than they did before. They have lost literally all of their big name draws bar Sharapova and Venus.

      Like

      Reply

      • Agreed. I consider Sharapova as the most mentally tough female tennis player out there, I dont think the lack of professional matches would have any effect on her game or her mentality, on the contrary she would be more determined than ever.

        Like

  10. WTA’s new web site is up. I liked the old site better, probably due to familiarity. Couldn’t find the ranking history on the players page.

    Like

    Reply

    • Yes, I have to say I liked the old one better too. On the new one, the birthdays of the players I checked are all out by a day – the new site gives Aga’s birthday as the 5th March, Domi’s as the 5th May and Lucie’s as the 3rd February.

      Like

      Reply

      • I don’t like change generally but not enjoying the new site so far. I can’t find any filters to search by tournament on each player’s profile. I’m assuming there’s going to be another update of some kind… surely?!

        Like

      • I really dislike this new site, I don’t find it clear at all first of all. Whatever you are looking for, it’s harder to find. The biography of the users does not contain the URL of their official website. The draws are not displayed by player anymore and you cant’ even download the pdf version ? It’s almost impossible to grasp an overview of the draws. Seriously what is that ?!? Is there a way to send suggestions ???

        Like

      • Yes very disappointing. They must have seen all the negative comments on social media. I noticed it was down earlier, hopefully there will be some new features to come…

        Like

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.