Daria Kasatkina vs Marta Kostyuk Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Japan Open

Prediction published on 24/09/2023, 05:14  by Nella Wagah in Tennis Predictions

Daria Kasatkina will be up against Marta Kostyuk in the first round of the Tokyo Open on Monday. The winner here will face off with Natsumi Kawaguchi or Despina Papamichail in the next round. Coming into this game, Kasatkina lost in the fourth round of the US Open, after falling 6-1, 6-3 to Aryna Sabalenka. This will be the first meeting between the two since the second round in Birmingham, which Kasatkina triumphed 6-2, 7-5. Having compiled a 32-21 record, sixth seed Kasatkina will hope to win a second straight meeting with Kostyuk. Of her wins, 15 have come on hard courts and she will be keen on extending that. The Russian is yet to win a title in 2023 but has had decent showings this season. She had second place finishes in Adelaide and Eastbourne and reached the semis at Charleston.

Marta Kostyuk has the head-to-head advantage over Kasatkina. In their three meetings, she has two wins. Having already won a title this year, she will feel better placed coming into this game. The Ukrainian emerged the best at the ATX Open in Austin in March. She is however coming from a second-round defeat at the Guadalajara Open. Having also suffered early exits in San Diego and US Open, Kostyuk will hope for a better showing here. With a 24-20 record coming into this match, Kostyuk will feel the need to do better. On hard courts, she has 20 wins in 34 matches. Five times in hard court tournaments this season, Kostyuk has lost the opening match. The world number 42 has six losses in her last 10 matches.