The Cancun WTA Tour Finals have reached their exciting climax, and Group B is set for one of the more mouth-watering matches in the form of a tussle between World No. 3 Coco Gauff and the powerhouse from the Czech Republic, Barbora Krejcikova. This will be an undefeated matchup between Gauff, who had beaten both Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek in straight sets to underline her consistent rise to the pinnacle of the women's game. The number 13 ranked Krejčíková was resilient and bounced back well from the defeat against Swiatek; this time, the match was clear as she won decisively against Pegula. A lot is at stake since, depending on who wins this match, one goes home while the other advances.
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Contrasting styles, the powerful groundstrokes, the strategic rallies, the key mental endurance-Gauff and Krejcikova promise a display of each. It will be interesting to see how Gauff's athleticism stacks up against Krejcikova's variation and consistency. The statistics certainly look good this week for the pair, even though their paths have differed so far: Gauff clinical, Krejcikova gritty in resilience. And the court surface did promise good stuff for the strong baseliners; this match may be about who dominates that first strike.
The only other time they met was at the 2021 French Open, which Krejcikova won in straight sets 7-6, 6-3. A different surface and stage of play greeted them this time out, but the win is a psychological advantage going into the match.
Tactical Approach
Gauff has been consistent with her first serve at 65%, and also showed remarkable return statistics, winning 63% of first-serve return points and 58% of second-serve return points. That simply shows how she can really press on opponents' serves and turn her agility on defense into aggressive opportunities.
Krejcikova's serve has proven to be a strong weapon thus far, as witnessed in the 11 aces she already has in two matches. While the fact that she has won 75% of her firstserve points evidences how well she can take the initiative when serving, a second-serve point conversion rate of 41% may prove an avenue of hope for Gauff.
In that respect, the onus will be on Gauff to make use of her return at least to bother Krejcikova's first serve and make her hit as many second serves as possible. Krejcikova can negate that by making sure to serve with accuracy and use her variety to drag Gauff wide, which will help her in dictating the rallies from the baseline.
Expert Betting Tips
Because both players are far more mature than in that last meeting, it is an even match. The form Gauff is in now is that of a player at her peak. That being said, Krejcikova's all-court game has propelled her to victory in high-stakes matches. Gauff's recent defense and strong returns can test Krejcikova, especially if Krejcikova struggles with her second serve.
I would give the slight edge going to Gauff due to her momentum and consistency. She is more able to dictate points now that she has some confidence from recent wins. The chances that both players could win a set are decent, with Krejcikova making some adjustments and always having the presence of Gauff around. The extended games and a third set possible is there for this matchup. At least in her previous matches, quicker starts by Gauff have at least shown she can seize early leads, which will be important in the case of Krejcikova.
- Over 19.5 Games @ 1.60 Odds
- Coco Gauff Wins First Set & Match @ 1.51 Odds
- Coco Gauff Wins 2-1 @ 3.50 Odds
Other predictions
