Hong Kong 125 Open: Emma Navarro vs Viktorija Golubic preview, head-to-head, odds, prediction and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (6) Emma Navarro vs Viktorija Golubic
Date: October 1, 2024
Tournament: Hong Kong 125 Open 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Hong Kong, China
Category: WTA 125
Surface: Hardcourt
Total Financial Commitment: $115,000
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN & TVA
Emma Navarro vs Viktorija Golubic preview
Top seed Emma Navarro is slated to begin her campaign in Hong Kong against Viktorija Golubic in the first round on Tuesday, October 2. After a disappointing loss in her Beijing opener last week, the American looks focused on earning as many points as possible in her bid to qualify for her first-ever year-end finals.
Navarro's breakthrough season has yielded a 50-21 match record so far, along with a title in Hobart at the start of the year. She has been particularly brilliant at the Grand Slams, having reached the semifinals in New York, the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, the fourth round in Paris, and the third round in Australia. She also made it to the final of a Challenger tournament this year, falling to Diana Shnaider at the Clarins Open in France.
Her North American hardcourt swing saw her record semifinal runs in Toronto and Monterrey aside from her success at the New York major. She last competed at the China Open, a tournament in which she entered as the sixth seed but was upset in her opener by local Shuai Zhang, 6-4, 6-2.
Golubic, meanwhile, enters Hong Kong with a 17-17 match record this year. She has struggled on the WTA tour, failing to win more than two consecutive matches. Her best run came at the Australian Open, where she reached the third round.
Her best result overall was reaching the quarterfinals of the ITF USA 36A in August. She last played at the China Open, defeating Xiyu Wang in the first round before losing to 16th seed Donna Vekic.
Emma Navarro vs Viktorija Golubic head-to-head
Emma Navarro and Viktorija Golubic have yet to face off in professional competition so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Emma Navarro vs Viktorija Golubic odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Emma Navarro vs Viktorija Golubic prediction
Emma Navarro will be eager to get her season back on track after a disappointing loss in Beijing. She's been in terrific form on the hardcourts this season and has shown a lot of improvement as the season has progressed. The slower and more sluggish surface in the Asian subcontinent, however, will pose a greater challenge for her, something she has already experienced in China.
Golubic, on the other hand, has struggled on the surface this season, managing to win only four matches on it thus far. She has faced consistency issues throughout the WTA tour, particularly in the second half of the season.
Navarro enters the encounter as the clear favorite, given her superior form. Golubic hasn't won against a top-20 player all season, which could work to the American's advantage. The match could end quickly if the Swiss doesn't serve well and fails to attack Navarro early.
Pick: Navarro to win in straight sets.