It's amazing: Maria Sakkari, who has actually been a permanent member of the absolute world elite for a few years, has only won one tournament in her entire career. It was in Rabat in 2019, since then the Greek has failed shortly before the goal in five finals, most recently in autumn 2022 in Guadalajara to Jessica Pegula.

The American will be missing from the WTA Tour 250 tournament next week, and looking at the list of starters, Sakkari is actually a pretty big favorite in the race. Because Ekaterina Alexandrova, the next best in the world rankings, is currently number 17, exactly ten places behind Sakkari.

Attention to Linda Noskova

However, special attention should be paid to two players from the Czech Republic: First of all, there is Katerina Siniakova, who won her seventh doubles title at a major alongside Barbora Krejcikova just last weekend. And then of course Linda Noskova. The 18-year-old caused a stir earlier in the year when she reached the final as a qualifier in Adelaide in the first of the two 500 tournaments, only to lose there to Aryna Sabalenka.

Otherwise? If Camila Giorgi feels, then the Italian is capable of anything. Also winning the tournament. Jule Niemeier, on the other hand, brings a very wide arsenal of weapons. Let's see how many of them Christopher Kas's protégé can unpack next week.