Buzarnescu to bring Sabalenka back down to earth

Starts 11.30am Monday, BBC

Sabalenka v Buzarnescu
Aryna Sabalenka dug deep to carve a path through to the Eastbourne final last week and the Belarusian 100-1 shot gave a decent account of herself in defeat to world number Caroline Wozniacki.

However, it’s back to the grindstone for Sabalenka on the opening day of Wimbledon and she faces a tough opener against 29th seed Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Romanian Buzarnescu enjoyed a fine run to the semi-finals in Edgbaston a week earlier, when she thrashed second seed Elena Svitolina 6-3 6-2 before running into the red-hot Petra Kvitova.

She will be the fresher party in this intriguing meeting and Buzarnescu, very much a late developer aged 30, can overcome her powerful 20-year-old opponent.

Recommendation
M Buzarnescu
1pt Evs general

Rodina v Lottner
Both of these qualifiers posted encouraging results at Roehamp­ton last week but there has to be a winner and with Evgeniya Rodina having been an under­achiever for much of her career, preference is for young German Antonia Lottner to add to her growing list of impressive match triumphs.

Lottner, 21, is eight years younger than her opponent and she also has a height advantage over Rodina.

The Russian won their only previous meeting 7-5 6-3 on a Den Bosch grass court last summer, but Lottner has achieved a good deal in the meantime and could now have sufficient nous to avenge that Dutch defeat.

Recommendation
A Lottner
1pt 8-11 Betfair, Paddy Power

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