Maria Sakkari (Tennis Daily)
World No. 90 Viktoriya Tomova faces an uphill task when she faces world No. 6 Maria Sakkari in a group-stage encounter between Bulgaria and Greece.
Maria Sakkari is one of the brightest players to have come out of Greece. She had a topsy-turvy season in 2022 where she played well in patches but failed to capture a title on the tour.
The experienced campaigner managed to reach the semifinals in the WTA Finals in November. She lost to eventual champion Caroline Garcia in straight sets. The hard-hitting player will look to begin the new season with a comprehensive performance against an opponent she is expected to triumph over.
The Bulgarian star will have very little room for error against a dangerous player like Sakkari. Tomova will have to look to make early inroads and take whatever opportunity comes her way.
Tomova did not have a great season in 2022. The 27-year-old won 39 singles matches while having lost 31. Her season ended with a disappointing showing at the WTA Angers Arena Loire Open earlier this month. Tomova entered the tournament as the 7th seed and failed to progress beyond the round of 16.
The head-to-head scoreline currently stands at 1-1. Sakkari defeated Tomova in their most recent clash in the second round of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships in straight sets.
Prediction: Maria Sakkari to win in straight sets.
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