Cluj-Napoca 2021: Andrea Petkovic vs Mayar Sherif preview, head-to-head & prediction | Winners Open

Match details

Fixture: (2) Andrea Petkovic vs Mayar Sherif

Date: 8 August 2021

Tournament: 2021 Winners Open

Round: Final

Venue: Winners Sports Club, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Category: WTA 250

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: $235,000

Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel

Andrea Petkovic vs Mayar Sherif preview

Playing in her second final of the season, Germany's Andrea Petkovic will look to stop Mayar Sherif's dream run when the pair meet in the championship match of the 2021 Winners Open on Sunday.

The inaugural WTA 250 tournament has seen a considerable number of upsets, with as many as six seeds falling before the quarterfinals.

Petkovic, the number two seed, survived the onslaught and has cleared some difficult hurdles to reach the final.

The 33-year-old was forced to complete her quarterfinal match on Saturday afternoon after it was suspended on Friday due to darkness. She only needed one game to secure her passage to the last four, beating Australian qualifier Seone Mendez.

Petkovic returned to the court a few hours later to defeat the resurgent Serbian Aleksandra Krunic in straight sets.

Mayar Sherif, meanwhile, has enjoyed a tremendous week in which she has achieved significant milestones.

After new milestones in the QFs & SFs, Mayar Sherif becomes the 1st Egyptian to make a @WTA final with a 7-6(1), 6-4 win over home favorite Mihaela Buzarnescu. The wins means Mayar will become the 1st Egyptian since Ismail El Shafie to break the top 100 since 1978 on Monday. pic.twitter.com/Pxnj94Oy7c

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) August 7, 2021

Sherif became the first Egyptian woman in history to reach a WTA final and she did so without dropping a set all week. Her stunning victory over top seed Alize Cornet in the first round was the first time she beat a top-100 player.

Mayar Sherif

She will look to continue her momentum and clinch the first WTA title of her career.

Andrea Petkovic vs Mayar Sherif head-to-head

bett1open - Day 3

Andrea Petkovic and Mayar Sherif will be facing off against each other for the first time, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Andrea Petkovic vs Mayar Sherif prediction

Andrea Petkovic is into her second final of 2021

Andrea Petkovic has been in red-hot form ever since the grasscourt season came to an end. The German veteran, who was on the verge of retirement not so long ago, has remained healthy this year and has posted a good run of results.

Unsurprisingly, she has enjoyed the most success on clay. Petkovic has won 11 of her last 13 matches on the surface, reaching two finals in the process. Considering her recent form, she will prove a hard nut for Sherif to crack in the title decider on Sunday.

Sherif, meanwhile, has managed to put Egypt back on the tennis map with her exploits this week. Sherif has played with efficiency and discipline in Cluj-Napoca, dropping just 24 games en route to the final.

The 25-year-old looked in inspired touch in the semifinals on Saturday as she dismissed Mihaela Buzarnescu with ease. Sherif's court coverage and fitness should give her a slight edge over the experienced Petkovic.

Needless to say, if the Egyptian can play aggressively and move Petkovic around the court, she should be able to seal her maiden title in a close final.

Prediction: Mayar Sherif to win in three sets.