AO forecast - Womens Singles

Previewing the Women’s Singles at the 2019 Australian Open and deciding who might traverse their way through the draw is far more difficult than the Men’s.

However I will do my level best, beginning with the top quarter where the top seed and last years beaten finalist Simona Halep holds fort.

Despite losing her only match this year to Ash Barty in Sydney, Simona must be counted amongst the favourites, but to be drawn first up against Kaia Kanepi would not have pleased her.  The Estonian is ranked 70, but in 2018 in the last major in New York she upset Halep in the opening round.

It shouldn’t happen again, but Simona has anything but a clean draw - a likely second round match up with Sofia Kenin, who just picked up a debut title in Hobart, then unseeded Venus Williams threatens in the third round provided she can win that far, with Buzarnescu and Cornet in her way.

If one Williams was bad enough, then Serena is drawn as the round of sixteen opponent for Halep and that looms as the women’s match of the tournament in week one.

Either Simona or Serena is likely to face Karolina Pliskova, Brisbane title winner, as the seventh seed appears to have a much easier road to the quarters - Garbine Muguruza a fitness concern and Dasha Kasatkina out of form.

My uneasy call is for Karolina Pliskova to win a quarter final against Serena Williams.

Winner of the final Grand Slam tournament for 2018, and her first, Naomi Osaka, is fourth seed, and head of the second quarter in the top of the draw.

An unknown quantity is Vika Azarenka, a possible second round opponent for Osaka.  Azarenka is progressively finding her feet after coming back from giving birth, and as a dual AO Open champion, could cause issues for the young Japanese star.

The fourth round draw should be 13th seed Anastasija Sevastova, but she needs to battle 18 year old qualifier Bianca Andreescu, who made headlines in Auckland, defeating Wozniacki and Venus Williams before losing in the final to Goerges.

Elina Svitolina, the sixth seed, will have possible battles with any of Elise Mertens, Madison Keys or former AO finalist Dominika Cibulková to negotiate before she plays Osaka.

I believe that Elina Svitolina will win her quarter final against Naomi Osaka 

So, a semi final between Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina 

In the top of the bottom half, Petra Kvitová, the winner in Sydney at the weekend, and early leader in the 2019 WTA Race, is the eighth seed.

In sharp form, her first test may come from compatriot Barbora Strycova in the third round, but really no one in this part of the draw should present a serious threat to Petra until the round of sixteen where she should meet Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.  The pair met in round one in Sydney in the past week, where Kvitová prevailed in straight sets.

The quarter final opponent for Kvitová will likely be either defending champion and third seed Caroline Wozniacki or Ash Barty, 15th seed, and finalist in Sydney from the weekend.

Both have generous draws.

Petra Kvitová will defeat Ash Barty in the quarter final, a repeat of the Sydney final result

The bottom quarter belongs to Angie Kerber, the second seed, and 2016 AO champion.

A smooth ride into round three will be met with a likely tougher clash, possibly against Donna Vekic, semi finalist in Brisbane this year.

Julia Goerges, winner in Auckland should make the round of sixteen to challenge Kerber, but her Grand Slam tournament results have been unimpressive till now, only passing the fourth round once - the semis at Wimbledon last year.

Goerges has lost in the second round at Melbourne Park the past three years.

Sloane Stephens is fifth seed and her part of the draw involves no real problems until a probable clash with Kiki Bertens, the ninth seed, and losing semi finalist in Sydney the last week.

Angie Kerber should win her quarter final against Kiki Bertens.

The second semi final will be between Petra Kvitová and Angie Kerber

I believe that Petra Kvitová will defeat Karolina Pliskova in an all Czech final.