Palermo 2021: first @WTA win Palermo 2023: ____________ 🤔 👇 complete the tweet #PLO23
The 2023 Palermo Ladies Open opens European Clay Court season with the road to the US Open beginning with a week in beautiful Italy.
As ever, TennisUpToDate will preview the action with Daria Kasatkina leading the field in Italy.
Top seed is Daria Kasatkina who will face off against Martina Trevisan with the Italian usually being a clay court specialist.
Kasatkina comes to Italy off the back of a third round loss to Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon. This after dominant wins over Jodie Burrage and Caroline Dolehide with the former being a poor end to an otherwise superb week.
But now the focus will turn to the clay. She is joined by Zheng Qinwen who is second seed.
She claimed her first WTA win in Palermo and returns aiming to hit form. This after losing to Katerina Siniakova at Wimbledon. She has not got past the first round since the French Open.
Her best run of note recently came at the Italian Open in Rome back in May so there is a desperate need for some form and she will hope this week provides that.
She replaces Elina Svitolina who reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon and never formerly withdrew from the tournament but will not play over the next week.
Others involved include Erika Andreeva, sister of Mirra who will aim to follow her younger sisters' lead. Mayar Sherif, Camila Osorio and Jasmine Paolini are also among those involved.