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2023 bett1 Open Preview: Sabalenka and Rybakina return to action post Roland Garros in main WTA stop before Wimbledon
WTATuesday, 20 June 2023 at 10:55
The bett1 Open is a leading stop on the WTA Tour before Wimbledon and forms part of two tournaments in Germany with Bad Homburg next up.
As ever, TennisUpToDate run through the main talking points heading into the bett1 Open which is set for Berlin between June 19-25, 2023.
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Rybakina and Sabalenka return
Two of the members of the so called WTA Big Three which is actually the case ranking wise now return this week in Berlin.
Those being World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka and World No.3 Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka will aim to go again and continue her superb season after a shocking loss to Karolina Muchova in Paris. A first foray onto grass as well since her ban last year from taking part in Wimbledon, she will have a point to prove heading into the grass season.
Rybakina is of course the defending Wimbledon champion and will head into the grass court season with new pressure.
Now being seen as a fixture of that elite group and a player that can win multiple Grand Slams, the onus will be on her to make a statement.
She has recently battled illness with her 24th birthday spent in Austria including at the Red Bull Museum with her new sponsors. Both will be the leading lights this next week.
Stacked field also includes Jabeur, Sakkari, Azarenka, Andreescu and Gauff
But it isn't just the leading two barring Iga Swiatek that will compete in Berlin.
Ons Jabeur is in the same quarter as former Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Bianca Andreescu and could face Andreescu in the second round.
A tough task awaits the Canadian though in Marketa Vondrousova. While Maria Sakkari could await Azarenka who albeit has not been in the best form as of late.
Sakkari herself lost early in Nottingham last week. Coco Gauff too sits in the same part of the draw as Sabalenka, it will be Katerina Siniakova up first for the American.
Ekaterina Alexandrova who won in 's-Hertogenbosch comes in the most in-form alongside Veronika Kudermetova who could face Sabalenka. Both reached the final and Gauff could face the former Russian in the second round.
Also in the field are Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova who face each other, Caroline Garcia who takes on home hero Sabine Lisicki and Daria Kasatkina who faces Petra Martic.
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