The 2017 WTA season kicks off down under with half of the world's top ten making an appearance at the Brisbane International. With the defending champion, Victoria Azarenka, absent after giving birth to her son, who steps up to lift the trophy in Brisbane, Australia this week?
First Quarter
At the top of the star-studded draw sits Angelique Kerber, the 2016 Australian Open champion. The German awaits either the Aussie wildcard, Ashleigh Barty, or a qualifier in the second round thanks to an opening round bye. Her first real test shall come in her projected quarterfinal with Elina Svitolina, but the Ukrainian is faced with a tricky opener to begin with.
The sixth-seeded Svitolina opens her campaign in Brisbane against the reigning Olympic gold medalist, Monica Puig. However, Puig's form has dropped a few notches since her glorious run to the top of the podium in Rio. The winner of their enticing opener goes on to face either Shelby Rogers or Eugenie Bouchard who both find themselves producing streaky results. The steadiness of Kerber and Svitolina makes them the overwhelming favorites to reach the final eight stage.
Prediction: Kerber over Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
Second Quarter
The second quarter of the draw holds the 2016 US Open finalist, Karolina Pliskova and the 2015 US Open finalist, Roberta Vinci. The Czech opens up her season head-to-head with Yulia Putintseva, who is always a tricky opponent to get by. If the third seed lives up to the expectations and eliminates Putintseva, then she earns a rather less complicated second round against Donna Vekic.
Pliskova's biggest hurdle in her quarter, of course, is her potential quarterfinal match with Vinci. The Italian kicks off her tournament against Lesia Tsurenko before she should eventually face Ekaterina Makarova, a player who has beaten her four times out of their seven matchups. However, Vinci has proven her ability to outperform anyone on the hard courts, which sets up a brilliant quarterfinal encounter between the two former US Open runner-ups.
Prediction: Pliskova over Vinci in the quarterfinals.
Third Quarter
Garbine Muguruza looks to commence her season on a better note than she did 12 months ago. Samantha Stosur stands in the Spaniards way in the first round of the Brisbane International. In spite of struggling with nerves and expectations in Australia, Stosur is the underdog and shall play without pressure, not to mention that the inconsistencies in the Muguruza game are an advantage to the Aussie. The winner of the Muguruza-Stosur contest books a second round match with either Irina-Camelia Begu or Daria Kasatkina, who is the favorite to oust the Romanian.
Joining four of the five top-30 players in the third quarter is the fifth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and her opening round opponent, Louisa Chirico. Kuznetsova is the heavy favorite in their opener with the winner earning a second round match with a qualifier. If the fifth seed maintains her year-end form, she is the overwhelming favorite to reach the last four.
Prediction: Svetlana Kuznetsova over Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals
Fourth Quarter
The bottom of the draw holds the world number five and second seed in Brisbane, Dominika Cibulkova. Her opening round bye places her in a position to face either Laura Siegemund or Zhang Shuai in the round of 16. The Slovak, prone to upsets in the past, may have difficulties in her first match of the season, but she can rely on her speed and ball-striking to get her through to the quarterfinal stage.
Cibulkova's potential quarterfinal match is difficult to determine with the unpredictable players in Elena Vesnina's section. The Russian had an amazing season in 2016 and must keep up her intensity and aggression up in order to surpass Alize Cornet and eventually Sara Errani in round two. The Slovak's game is too much for any of her opposing competitors in her quarter to overcome.
Prediction: Cibulkova over Vesnina in the quarterfinals.
Semifinal Predictions: Kerber over Pliskova. Kuznetsova over Cibulkova.
Final Prediction
A potential final between Kerber and Kuznetsova offers everything possible in a tennis matchup from power to placement to speed and movement. With the German's past success in Australia, her everlasting anticipation and consistency is ideal to break down Kuznetsova's game and earn herself her first non-major title down under.
