TOP five talent, Elina Svitolina and the ever-dangerous top 20 presence of Petra Martic will be strong favourites to contest the final at Hua Hin in 2020, following the withdrawal of defending champion, Dayana Yastremska five days ago.. The duo are the only players inside the top 35 in the world that will take to the refurbished pink hard courts to raise awareness for breast cancer.

FAVOURITE:

Elina Svitolina (Ukraine)

The far and away favourite is world number four, Svitolina. With a career 13 titles to her name, the 25-year-old Ukrainian needs to live up to expectations and take out her 14th title here as the clear standout in the field. She went down in a disappointing 6-1 6-2 loss to Garbine Muguruza in the Round of 32 at Melbourne Park, and was smashed in the opening round at Brisbane by Danielle Collins, 6-1 6-1. When she loses, she gets blown off the court and confidence can be a big question mark with the talented individual. Aside from Martic and perhaps the in-form Ons Jabeur, it is hard to see too many in this draw giving her confidence issues, but she still needs to do the work.

CONTENDERS:

Petra Martic (Croatia)

Ranked 15th in the world post-Australian Open, Martic has just the one career title and would eye this off as a chance to double her total. She bowed out in the second round of the Australian Open to Julia Goerges, and also lost to Alize Cornet in Auckland as the second seed. Her inconsistency has been the big question mark over the 29-year-old’s career, but this is a genuine title-winning chance. Martic must take her chances when they come and a deep finish at the tournament must be a non-negotiable.

Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)

Jabeur bolted into the top 50 off the back of a superb Australian Open which saw her reach the final eight of the tournament. The Tunisian is in career best form and was only stopped by eventual Grand Slam winner, Sofia Kenin at Melbourne Park. In her run to the quarter finals, Jabeur stunned the likes of 12th seed, Johanna Konta, former Aus Open winner, Caroline Wozniacki and 27th seed, Qiang Wang who had defeated Serena Williams the match before. Now at a career high 45th in the world, Jabeur will be aiming to follow on from her Melbourne Park effort to achieve a good finish in Thailand.

Zheng Saisai (China)

Set to line up as the third seed in Hua Hin, Zheng is another player who would fancy her chances of doubling her career titles with a favourable draw. She will fight hard throughout all matches, and is at a career high 36 in the world entering the Thailand Open. Unfortunately ran into world number three, Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open and bowed out in Round 2, and also suffered a first round loss at the hands of eventual winner, Elena Rybakina in Shenzhen a couple of weeks earlier. She comes in with not much form to speak of, and would need to lift here to beat those named above her.

ROUGHIE:

Su-Wei Hsieh (Chinese Taipei)

Now a veteran, the 34-year-old is set to be the fourth seed in Thailand, and could go back inside the top 30 with a strong performance in Hua Hin. Her form this year has been poor, though she has drawn some talented players in the first rounds of her three past tournaments. She lost to Anett Kontaveit in Brisbane, Aryna Sabalenka in Adelaide and Yulia Putintseva at Melbourne Park. Yet to win in 2020, Hsieh is a genuine roughie in this tournament, but a favourable draw could see her gain greater confidence against lowly ranked players to build into the tournament.

DARK HORSE:

Magda Linette (Poland)

Forgetting the Australian Open disaster which saw the world number 42 bow out in three sets to lowly ranked Aranxa Rus, Linette has shown some progression over the past year and reached her career high of 41 in the world last year. A strong performance in Thailand will see her surpass that effort, though her form this season – one win from four matches is not exactly ideal preparation. The 27-year-old can challenge those players around her, but will find the going tough based on current form.

Picture credit: GSB Thailand Open presented by EA