Some of the world’s top players will be on centre stage at the annual Coupe Rogers, which will take place this time at different venues in Canada.
This year promises to be an exciting as the city is set to host one of the strongest playing fields the tournament has ever seen – featuring a slew of renowned veterans and a couple of fresh, new faces.
The men’s event is to be held at the IGA Stadium in Montreal, while the women’s event is slated to take place at the Aviva Centre in Toronto.
With upcoming key matches, the said tournament has already started a few days ago. And the action is expected to heat up as we go along.
SBOBET takes a look at some storylines to look out for during the Coupe Rogers women’s event.
Can Simona Halep complete a repeat?
The Romanian sensation is obviously looking to defend her title at the Coupe Rogers, but she will be facing stiff competition and they’ll give her a run for her money.
Halep recently won the 2019 Wimbledon Championship last July with an impressive performance against Serena Williams, in which she described as the best match of her life.
Simona Halep’s Coupe Rogers 2019 odds are looking good, as she has already won twice in the tournament and she boasts a 17-2 record in Canada. However, she has not set foot at the Aviva Centre just yet.
Lofty expectations are in store for the 27-year-old and if she goes very far in the tournament, she will be highly favoured once again in the upcoming US Open which will happen later this year.
Bianca Andresscu makes a homecoming
One of the youngest players in the tournament, Bianca Andresscu sees this year’s Coupe Rogers as the perfect opportunity to further establish her name in the world of tennis.
The 19-year-old has been making waves when she kicked off her 2019 campaign with an exemplary performance at the ASB Classic, where she went on to beat Angelique Kerber to win the title in Indian Wells.
Since then, however, she had to sit out in several tournaments due to a lingering shoulder injury. Fast forward today, she seems healthier and much more motivated given that she’ll play in front of the home crowd.
Ashleigh Barty continues to roll
There’s a good reason as to why Ashleigh Barty is ranked number one coming in this tournament. After all, she’s enjoyed quite a year in tennis.
The Australian pro has been on a consistent rise since 2017. She began that year at No. 27 and ended at No. 17. Her back-to-back wins in the French Open and the Birmingham Classic this season further elevated her status as the top-ranked player by the WTA.
Overall, Barty posted a quality 39-6 singles win-loss record, along with three titles. And for sure her crafty, quick style of play will produce some of the best Coupe Rogers 2019 highlights.
Serena Williams set to compete once again
The search is still on for Serena Williams to capture her fourth Coupe Rogers plum, and doing so will make her even with Monica Seles and Chris Evert for the most number of titles.
The 37-year-old has won three times before in Toronto – in 2001, 2011, and 2013. She also has amassed 23 grand slam titles and is being considered as the GOAT of the game.
Williams has had a great history in the Coupe Rogers with a 30-4 slate. In her eight total appearances, she only failed to reach the semis once – and that was when she was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury.
The American superstar has had an up-and-down journey so far this season. And with all what’s happened to her this year, she still managed to rise to No. 9 in the WTA rankings – her highest since giving birth to a daughter in 2017.
The bigger picture for Williams is finding her groove once again, especially after losing in the Wimbledon last month to Simona Halep and battling multiple injuries – which is why she remains motivated than ever to do well in the Coupe Rogers.
“Maybe playing other finals outside of Grand Slams would be really helpful just to kind of get in the groove so by the time I get to a Grand Slam final I’m kind of used to what to do and how to play,” said Williams to reporters last week.
With Petra Kvitova pulling out due to a forearm injury, Serena Williams bumped up to the eighth seed to earn a bye to start. She is going to play on Wednesday night.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE TENNIS STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
