AS most of the world’s best WTA Tour players turn their attention to Stuttgart, there are still some high quality players on offer in Turkey for the Istanbul Open. We preview the potential winners in our fantasy tennis tournament.

FAVOURITE

Petra Martic (CROATIA)

The reigning champion in Istanbul, Martic is back again and looking to defend her title in Turkey. The Croatian world number 16th is seeded third here in 2020 and has drawn Elena Rybakina in her half. With a tough first round opponent in Jil Teichmann and a potential quarter final meeting with Amanda Anisimova, it will not be easy for Martic, but she has shown she has the goods at this event.

CONTENDERS

Serena Williams (USA)

It was somewhat of a surprise to see Williams nominate for the event with clay not being her strongest surface, but with this field, Williams has to be considered a contender. As the only top 10 player in the field, Williams will hope to use all of her multiple Grand Slam experience to get the upper hand on her rivals with most of the field outside the top 50. She is helped by a soft draw in her quarter with Darya Kasatkina looming as a danger game in the quarter finals.

Maria Sakkari (GREECE)

Sakkari seems like a player ready to burst on the scene after making her way inside the top 20. Now the Greek talent is seeded fifth here, and has drawn a quarter final slot with Madison Keys if she makes it, with Williams being the potential semi-finals opponent. But the issue being, her first two rounds are potentially deadly with the semi-finalist and winners at Bogota in line to face her in her first two games.

Elena Rybakina (KAZAKHSTAN)

Flying under the radar despite being at a career-high 15th in the world, the 20-year-old has a really good chance here if she can survive the danger game in the opening round against Frenchwoman, Caroline Garcia. Clay might not be her best surface, but if Rybakina can compete for long enough, she can easily reach the final eight, and potentially further, but could meet Martic in the semis.

ROUGHIE

Katerina Siniakova (CZECH REPUBLIC)

After a semi-finals appearance as the second seed in Bogota, Siniakova moves up into a higher class event and is unseeded. Despite her unseeding, she is still ranked 10th of those competing at the event which gives her a great chance, but she has a horror draw. A first round encounter against Sakkari is tough enough, but even if she gets through that, then Bogota winner – the one who knocked her off in the semi-finals – Elisabetta Cocciaretto is waiting in the second round for her.

DARK HORSE

Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITALY)

The lid is off on the 19-year-old who won at Bogota to break through for her maiden title. She does not have an easy draw here though, with Sakkari expected to be there for her in the second round. If she can cause an upset, the rest of her quarter is relatively beatable, but Cocciaretto still has plenty to learn. If she can go deep, she will continue her rise up the WTA Tour rankings.