Jessica Pegula vs Maria Sakkari Prediction: Pegula comes in a great groove

Here we are, the ultimate window that determines who among the top eight players in the Women’s Tennis Association(WTA) will have the last crack at winning a title to close out the soon. And what value will that title have as these are the top talents in the WTA. And to kick off the proceedings, Jessica Pegula will take on Maria Sakkari in the Group Stage of the WTA Finals.

Pegula has achieved the career-best ranking of number three and that ranking shot up when she won Guadalajara Open in a packed deck. During that run, she beat formidable foes like Maria Sakkari, Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Bianca Andreescu, and Elena Rybakina. She made it to the Semi- Final of the San Diego Open where she lost to Iga Swiatek. Swiatek also thwarted her impressive run during the US Open where she lost to her in the Quarter-Final.

Talking about the US Open, if we come to the Grand Slams, she reached the Quarter-Finals of the Australian Open, and French Open and made it to the Third Round of Wimbledon. Of course, this has been her best year and she is surely in the prime of her career. Pegula will come in with great rhythm after winning her biggest title during the Guadalajara Open. Can she deal more damage during the WTA Finals. Let us see what she brings here!

Sakkari comes into the tournament after losing to Jessica Pegula in the Final of Guadalajara Open. Before that loss, she had beaten Marie Bouzkova, Veronica Kudermetova, Danielle Collins, and Marya Kostyuk. Apart from that, she has had a tough year when the draw has been stacked with top players. During San Diego Open, she lost to Donna Vekic in the first round while her Ostrava Open campaign also ended in the first round by Qualifier Alycia Parks.

This year has been mixed for Maria, mostly on the downside and she also admitted that she has lost the “fun” part of the game ever since being among the top-ranked players as the responsibility of being a top rank player has put her under pressure. She didn’t even make it to the Quarter-Final of any Grand Slam this season after making the Semis of the French Open and US Open last year. Will Sakkari end the season on a high and reinvent her game?

Pegula and Sakkari have met five times, and Sakkari leads the h2h with three wins. However, Jessica beat Sakkari just a few days ago in straight sets.

In terms of overall form, Jessica has won way more than Sakkari and has taken her game to another level while Sakkari has find it hard to adjust, as her aggressiveness has taken a hit. This year these two will come across each other fourth time and Pegula has the h2h for 2022. Apart from that, Pegula has been beating higher-ranked players more than Sakkari. I give her the edge here but I think this will not be over like the Guadalajara Open and this can go to three sets.