WTA Adelaide Final Prediction: Mirra Andreeva vs Victoria Mboko

It will be an all-teen showdown in the WTA Adelaide International final. 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva faces an in-form 19-year-old Victoria Mboko. Who will hoist the trophy in the final 500-level tournament before the Australian Open?

WTA Adelaide Final Prediction

Mirra Andreeva vs Victoria Mboko

Head-to-head: first meeting

Andreeva defeated compatriot Diana Shnaider in their second career meeting in Australia. After a shock quarterfinal loss to Marta Kostyuk in Brisbane, Andreeva has marched to her first final of the season in Adelaide without dropping a set. The young Russian has lifted three WTA titles in her career. One was at the WTA 250 in Iasi, and two came at the 1000 level in Dubai and Indian Wells. The WTA 500 is still missing in her trophy cabinet, but she has an opportunity to add one on Saturday.

But it will be no mean feat for Andreeva to do so as she faces the WTA’s in-form player. Victoria Mboko was not a name reverberating on everyone’s lips at this time last year. She was still an ITF regular and had not established herself at the Tour level. A sensational North American summer changed many people’s expectations. Mboko defeated four Grand Slam champions en route to winning her maiden Tour-level title in Montreal and quickly ascended the rankings to become Canada’s top-ranked WTA player. Like Andreeva, Mboko boasts a 5-1 record for the year and she has won 12 of her past 13 matches, most recently against Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell. That was her first straight-set win of the week. Mboko tallied wins over Haddad Maia, Anna Kalinskaya, and the huge upset of Madison Keys.

This is the first chapter of what could become a defining rivalry in women’s tennis in the years to come. Andreeva has been on the tour slightly longer, and that could potentially aid her decision-making in tight moments. The Russian is still one of the purest strikers, both on the run and in defensive positions, and point by point, she will likely win the small battles that could decide the match.

Prediction: Andreeva in 3