Iga Swiatek will begin her 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title defense against Elise Mertens, who will try to stop her unbeaten run in Stuttgart.
Swiatek has been a tremendous performer in Stuttgart, combining her hitting with the rather unique indoor clay conditions. She won the event in 2022 and 2023, hoping to win a third consecutive trophy.
What's interesting about her title runs in Stuttgart is that she beat Aryna Sabalenka both times in the final. If she wants to get there again, she'll have to take on Mertens, an experienced player who can produce some really stellar showings at times.
Even this year, Mertens had some good moments despite mostly being considered a doubles player by now.
Head-to-head:
Oddly enough, Swiatek and Mertens never played against each other, which is interesting, considering they have both been playing for a few years by now. Swiatek is obviously the far better player, especially on clay and in Stuttgart conditions.
To win, Mertens will need to outhit the Polish player, and I just don't see it happening. She doesn't have the tools or the consistency to do that. The serve might push her forward for a while, but the Polish number one eventually will figure things out in her favor.
| Iga Swiatek | Elise Mertens | |
| 0 | H2H | 0 |
| 1 | Rank | 30 |
| 22 | Age | 28 |
| 22-3 | 2024 W/L | 13-9 |
| 303-69 | Career W/L | 428-246 |
Prediction:
I expect Swiatek to demonstrate all her talent in this meeting. She might need a few games to find her rhythm, but eventually, she'll find it and then outplay her opponent easily.
She might run into minor problems if she doesn't serve well, but overall, I do think she'll get it done easily in two sets. She's just too good right now.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in two sets.
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