Match Details
Fixture: (PR) Angelique Kerber vs (7) Diana Shnaider
Date: Sunday, June 23
Tournament: Bad Homburg Open, 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: TC Bad Homburg
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Grass
Prize: $923,000
Where to Watch: USA - Tennis Channel, UK - Sky Sports, Canada - TSN
Angelique Kerber vs Diana Shnaider preview
One of the first-round matches at the 2024 Bad Homburg Open will feature former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber who will play against Diana Shnaider. Kerber did not play in the 2023 season as she took a pregnancy leave from the Tour. The 2024 season has not seen the best of Kerber yet as making it to the round of 16 at Indian Wells and Madrid have been her best results. She lost to Caroline Wozniacki and Iga Swiatek respectively in those matches.
Kerber has played one match on the grass in 2024. She lost a tough-fought three-setter against Linda Noskova in the opening round of the Berlin Open. However, the German has credible performances on grass courts, having won three titles on the surface. Kerber won the 2018 Wimbledon, defeating an in-form Serena Williams in the final. Kerber is a former champion at Bad Homburg Open, having won the title in 2022, defeating Katerina Siniakova in the final.
Meanwhile, Diana Shnaider had a winning start to the season, bagging the Thailand Open where she won against Zhu Lin in the final. Since then, for the rest of the hard court and clay court season, the Russian did not make any deep runs at any of the events she played.
Shnaider started the grass-court season with a first-round loss to Yue Yuan at the 2024 Libema Open. However, at the Birmingham Classic, Shanider made it to the quarter-finals, losing to Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Angelique Kerber vs Diana Shnaider head-to-head
This will be the first time the two players will play against each other on the WTA Tour.
Angelique Kerber vs Diana Shnaider odds
(Odds will be updated once available)
Angelique Kerber vs Diana Shnaider predicton
Kerber's game has been modeled on making her opponents play long rallies and overpower them with potent groundstrokes. Her two-handed backhand is her signature shot. However, serving is the glaring weakness in the former World No. 1 's arsenal. Her serve speed is not high as per modern standards in the women's game and her second serve is often vulnerable to aggressive return strokes.
Shnaider is a player who has recently started to play tennis at the highest level. She made her Grand Slam debut only last year at the Australian Open. The Russian has shown some promise on the court through her results, and clinching her maiden title earlier this year will further help build her confidence.
Shnaider has won more matches on the grass than Kerber in 2024. However, given her experience, and the credibility of winning big titles Kerber should have the edge in the match.
Pick- Kerber to win in straight sets