Caroline Garcia vs Donna Vekić Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Monterrey Open

Prediction published on 05/03/2023, 06:42  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 05/03/2023 at 07:33 in Tennis Predictions

Top seeded Carolina Garcia takes on third seed Donna Vekic in the final of the Monterrey Open. Garcia has been in this position once already this year. The French player was top seed in Lyon but lost in the final to Alycia Parks. This week began with Garcia in fifth place in the rankings. Beating Vekic will see her rise to fourth and that will equal her career high ranking. It'd also see her go up to eighth in the Live WTA Race based on points earned this year. Garcia will be keen to reach the end of season WTA Tour finals as she won that title last year. That was one of four titles she won last year after going three years without a title. That 2019 win was on grass in Nottingham and the runner-up just happened to be Donna Vekic. This week has seen Garcia win four matches and she's yet to drop a set. The last four saw her defeat fourth seeded Elise Mertens in straight sets.

Donna Vekic is in her first WTA Tour final since October of last year. That was in San Diego when losing in three sets to Iga Swiatek. A win over Garcia would see Vekic win her first singles title since 2021 and you have to go back to 2014 and 2017 for her other two wins. It's been a good year for Vekic with a run to the last eight of the Australian Open. Her run to this final has taken her up to 24th in the live rankings after starting 2023 in 67th place. A win over Garcia will see her go up to 23rd, closing in on her career high of 19th achieved in November 2019. Vekic has only dropped one set on her way to this final. That was in round three when losing the middle set to Ysalina Bonaventure before getting through via a third-set tie-break. Vekic leads Garcia 5-4 in previous matches including the last three. The most recent match was two years ago at the Summer Olympics but Garcia was ranked 71st at the time. Go for the much improved Garcia to win her first title of the year.