Ashleigh Barty vs Elina Svitolina Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Stuttgart Open

Prediction published on 23/04/2021, 18:04  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 23/04/2021 at 19:05 in Tennis Predictions

World number one Ashleigh Barty has won two tournaments already this year. The Australian takes on Elina Svitolina in the semi-final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Barty took most of last year off due to the pandemic but so far in 2021 has won the Yara Valley Classic and the Miami Masters. Last week saw her make her seasonal clay debut and she lost in the last eight to Paula Badosa. Clay isn't a problem for her though, after all she did win the French Open in 2019. This week has seen her beat Laura Siegemund and in the quarter final, Karolina Pliskova. The latter was a tough battle as she lost the first set on a tie-break. Barty has played Svitolina on seven previous occasions and trails 5-2. However, major improvements have been made by the Australian in recent years. She's won the last two, the most recent being in Miami.

Fourth seeded Elina Svitolina also had to go to three sets in her quarter final. She lost the first set and faced two match points in the second, before winning in three sets. Svitolina hasn't won a tournament since a clay court win in Strasbourg last September. She's been in five clay court finals on the main tour and won them all. Last week saw her get two wins on clay in the Billie Jean King Cup. Both players beaten were ranked outside the top 200. It's been harder in Stuttgart with a win over Angelique Kerber before taking on and beating Kvitova. Svitolina hasn't been getting many wins over top ten players. Kvitova is the only one she's beaten since the Tour Finals in 2019. Barty can be backed to get the win in this match.