Anna Kalinskaya - Sorana Cirstea predictions and free betting tips [30/08/2023]

Hello everyone! The much-awaited fourth Grand Slam of the season has kicked off, providing ample opportunities for close scrutiny. I'll break down several 1/32 finals matches for you.

In the women's draw, the clash between Anna Kalinskaya and Sorana Cîrstea is worth highlighting. Both ladies have had an unpredictable run-up to the US Open, so expect anything but sensational success from them.

It is worthwhile to closely examine the capabilities of these players to grasp the resources they've brought to this season's final Grand Slam.

Anna Kalinskaya

The Russian had been recovering for over three months from an injury sustained at the clay-court Masters in Rome. This forced her to skip the grass-court stretch at the French Open. Even before the injury, Anna's performance was rather mediocre, although she still managed to earn ranking points.

Speaking specifically about her hard-court matches this year, Kalinskaya has had no significant success even though she avidly participated in major tournaments. The only two tournaments where she had put out a decent performance were in Austin on the hard courts and in Charleston on the green clay; these trips awarded her quarterfinals positions.

Only intense training could have tuned Kalinskaya's performance for the US Open. In the 1/64 finals, she faced an opponent from the Czech Republic, Katerina Siniakova, who can deliver in singles but is primarily eyeing the doubles trophy at this US Open. Anna put on a good show and claimed a well-deserved two-set win.

Anna's next opponent will be the Romanian, Sorana Cîrstea, against whom she needs to play strategically sound tennis. Kalinskaya's emotional fluctuations sometimes give her a hard time, and she needs to keep them in check. Consequently, her self-perception of adverse performance often leads her to lose to herself. Sorana, on the other hand, tends to be more restrained and technically skilled, giving her an edge. However, Anna is also a decent backcourt player, investing much effort into serving.

Sorana Cîrstea

We saw Sorana's best performance at the American Masters this spring, followed by her securing a title at the Reus clay-court Challenger.

Maintaining consistency throughout an entire season seems challenging for Cîrstea. Maybe she does not aspire to grander achievements, being satisfied with her current status. Her position in the rankings is decent and requires defending, thus she focuses on feasible tournaments.

Cîrstea commenced the second launch of the North American tournaments in Washington, followed by her participation in two 'Premier Mandatory and Premier 5' tournaments. Sadly, she lost the second match in all of them, often to formidable opponents. Sorana's skills fall short to freely compete in these tournaments and aspire for global achievements.

At the US Open, she has to surpass the opponents she can handle. I'm unsure whether Kalinskaya should be considered an easy player for Cîrstea. However, one thing is certain: Kalinskaya should not be considered a giant in global tennis.

Head-to-Head

In New York, at the Cincinnati Masters(1000) held in the 'Big Apple', Anna Kalinskaya took a two-set victory. Yet, two years later, at the Indian Wells 'Premier Mandatory and Premier 5', Sorana Cîrstea claimed a revenge with a match that featured a deciding set where the Russian didn't win a single game.

Match prediction: Anna Kalinskaya - Sorana Cîrstea

Kalinskaya seems ill-prepared to triumph over Cîrstea, whose tennis might not be outstanding against stronger opponents, but suits her favoured matches. According to experts, the Romanian should be in the 1/16 finals. I'll wager on the Romanian player who is bound to give her all in this match, leaving Kalinskaya relatively ineffective, especially after her hiatus from the calendar - the victory over Siniakova in the first round of the tournament was too comfortable.