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Match Details
Fixture: (Q) Kimberly Birrell vs Aoi Ito
Date: October 19, 2024
Tournament: 2024 Japan Women's Open
Round: Semifinal
Venue: Utsubo Tennis Center, Osaka, Japan Venue
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize Money: $275,000
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Kimberly Birrell vs Aoi Ito preview
Kimberly Birrell will face Aoi Ito in the semifinals of the Japan Women's Open on October 19 in a battle of qualifiers. The winner will face seventh seed Diane Parry or Suzan Lamens in the final.
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Birrell entered the WTA 250 event after a second-round exit at a WTA 125 tournament in Hong Kong. The Aussie started her main-draw campaign in Osaka with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Zheng Saisai and followed up by ousting third seed Elise Mertens after the latter retired due to injury.
Birrell faced Japanese wildcard Sara Saito in the quarterfinals and she found herself a break down in the first set. The 26-year-old made a solitary set in the second set to register a 7-5, 6-4 set and book her place in the semifinals.
Aoi Ito, meanwhile, reached the main draw of a WTA Tour event for the very first time in her career following wins over Emina Bektas and Ariarne Hartono. The Japanese started her run in Osaka with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 win over former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Ito then faced eighth seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto and beat her 6-4, 6-3 to book her place in the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 tournament. There, the 20-year-old was up against Eva Lys and found herself a setdown. However, she fought back hard to register a 6-7(8), 6-2, 6-3 victory and reach the semifinals of the Japan Women's Open.
Kimberly Birrell vs Aoi Ito head-to-head
The two will face one another on the WTA Tour for the first time. Their previous encounter also came in Japan, in an ITF event in Fukuoka, which Birrell won 7-6(6), 7-5.
Kimberly Birrell vs Aoi Ito odds
Odds sourced from BETMGM
Kimberly Birrell vs Aoi Ito prediction
Birrell is the higher-ranked player, but the way Ito has been playing lately, she presents just as much a threat as the Aussie. The 26-year-old has won 88 of 126 points on her first serve in the main draw in Osaka, serving nine aces.
Birrell loves to play aggressively and will aim to attack from the very first point and keep Ito under pressure. The Japanese doesn't have the most impressive first-serve record at the Japan Women's Open, winning 121 out of 207 points during the main draw.
Ito has managed 10 aces in her last three matches and will look to fetch as many more free points as she can. However, the 20-year-old has also served 11 double faults and will have to make sure not to produce too many of those.
Both players will enter the match high on confidence, so we could have a tight fixture on the cards. However, Kimberly Birrell's relatively higher experience might just about help her get the win and reach the WTA 250 final.
Pick: Birrell to win in three sets
