Top seed Jessica Pegula is a bit of a surprise entry this week (I thought she would have taken some time off ahead of the French Open).
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 250
Internationaux de Strasbourg
Tennis Club de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Round of 16 Matches- 21st May
Jessica Pegula (1) vs Anna Kalinskaya
Her form has wobbled of late and she probably feels slightly undercooked on clay. Pegula has been consistent this season, trailing only Sabalenka in wins on tour (she has 28 wins to the Belarusian’s 34). She has reached four finals this year, winning titles in Austin and Charleston (she finished runner-up in Adelaide and Miami). The metronomic baseliner looked particularly impressive in the lead-in to the European clay-court swing, losing to Sabalenka in the Miami final before claiming a maiden clay-court title in Charleston. She has stuttered since, going 3-3 in her last three events. I think that she is probably feeling the effects of what has already been a congested season (which made me even more surprised that she decided to play this week). In any case, Pegula- at her best- is a relentless baseliner who will test every facet of your opponent’s game
It’s amazing to think that former World No.11 Anna Kalinskaya is yet to win a career title. She reached two finals last year, most notably finishing runner-up at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai. She endured a nightmare start to the season, retiring in Adelaide through illness before skipping the Aussie Open due to a virus. She then had to withdraw midway through her Singapore semifinal with a thigh issue. She never looked the same after that retirement, going 1-4 in her next four events. She appeared to turn the corner on clay, reaching the Charleston quarters before pushing Madison Keys in a tight Madrid defeat. She went down in straight sets to an inspired Peyton Stearns in Rome. She never looked amazing in her Strasbourg opener, toiling to a three-set win against American Caroline Dolehide. Kalinskaya hits with heavy topspin off both wings and should theoretically be a good fit for clay. However, the injury-prone Russian has struggled with the physicality of the surface. Can she elevate her game against the top seed?
The Verdict: Pegula to win in three sets at – Pegula has dominated their rivalry 3-0. However, all three of those matches went to a deciding set, with the American besting the Russian at this year’s Miami Open in a 3rd set tiebreak. So, Kalinskaya clearly has what it takes to trade barbs with the American. Pegula isn’t in amazing form, and I think Kalinskaya could exploit that to nick another set. However, Pegula is a warrior, and I suspect she will claw back the advantage to win in three.
