PREVIEW | 2023 WTA Finals Day Two as Chetumal Group begins with SWIATEK-VONDROUSOVA and GAUFF-JABEUR

Day Two of the 2023 WTA Finals is here with the Chetumal Group taking centre stage and the first chance to see Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff in action this week in Cancun.

Our daily WTA Finals Preview takes you through the two matches in the group stage with Head to Head information and talking points for the players involved, as the season ending spectacle continues in Cancun.

The opening match of the second day features Iga Swiatek who stole all the headlines during the Gala for her incredible red dress as well as being the only one in the singles draw not wearing white.

But she will also look to stand out on the court. One of only a few players who have remained diplomatic in their approach to the horrid organisation of the WTA Finals, some see the surface after the opening day as being perfect for the Pole.

It is a tournament with multiple facets for the now World No.2. She admits freedom is a main aspect and people not wanting her to fail as much, but she could soon be hoisted back onto top spot.

Albeit likely having to win every single group game and of course the tournament in the process, but opening up against Marketa Vondrousova, it isn't out of the realms of possibility.

Simply with the fact that despite not being terminal enough to cancel her tournament like her friend, Karolina Muchova, injury has been a factor in recent months since winning Wimbledon.

From the elation of winning Wimbledon, Vondrousova reached the Quarter-Finals of the US Open before being reduced to tears as she had to end the career of Barbora Strycova by withdrawing from the doubles with an arm injury.

This wasn't a precaution with Vondrousova only playing once since at the China Open losing to Anhelina Kalinina. A tournament that Swiatek won. So likely out of anyone, Vondrousova is the player to be got at. Only two prior meetings between them and both won by Swiatek.

In the form of the Cincinnati Quarter-Finals this year and first round at Roland Garros all the way back in 2020, all cards favour Swiatek.

Prediction: Swiatek in two sets

Then it is the turn of Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff who will be the final two players in the tournament to start their campaigns.

It is a very similar tale to the opening match with one player seemingly riding on the crest of a wave and the other being injured in recent weeks and months which means that any sort of predictions fly out of the window.

Jabeur being the latter who as ever has had an ultra consistent season albeit without the Grand Slam title to boot which still plagues her to this day as she lost her golden Wimbledon chance for a second year running.

As a result, she looked a shell of herself as she took to the courts at the US Open and it was only really Ningbo where she won the title where the Jabeur we all know returned.

But injury then struck which took her out of Zhengzhou in the second round and saw Jabeur's knee issues strike again. Like Vondrousova and Muchova, she was celebrating reaching the Finals but nearly had it taken away through injury.

Her first opponent will be Gauff who has been the in-form player in many ways during the last few months going on a big winning streak including Washington, Cincinnati and the US Open all with Brad Gilbert involved.

She has only played one tournament since Flushing Meadows against Swiatek in Beijing who she will also face in this group so the gauge isn't there in how she is playing. But it is also a first with neither player facing each other ever which is a surprise given their ranking and status in the game. That ends this evening.

PREDICTION: Gauff in three sets