The story already written?

Hard to picture anyone else winning in Auckland

Elina Svitolina is the big favorite here.Her level and ranking are clearly above all the players in this WTA 250, provided she’s at full capacity and committed at 100%. Her preparation has been serious, and her attachment to the Ukrainian flag continues to carry her match after match. Her recent performance in the Billie Jean King Cup is a good illustration of that.

On the other side,the French player has still never beaten Svitolinaand I don’t see a different outcome in this context. We might see a few adjustment games at the start of the match, but the gap in level should quickly become apparent. Another positive element:Emma Navarro’s elimination in the very first roundwhich opens up the draw even more and strengthens Svitolina’s chances of going all the way in the tournament. An additional source of motivation.