Maria Sakkari vs Simona Halep Odds & Prediction – WTA Kremlin Cup Quarterfinals

• Maria Sakkari and Simona Halep will face each other in the quarterfinals of the WTA Kremlin Cup on Friday
• This is the first meeting between these two players
• Continue below for odds, preview and best bet predictions

It’s down to the final eight in Moscow for women’s singles play at the Kremlin Cup, and Maria Sakkari and Simona Halep are set to go head-to-head Friday at 8:50 am ET, for a spot in the semifinals.

Sakkari is entering the match as the slight favorite to move on at -120 odds, but Halep is right there behind her at -105. This is sure to be a close match between these two strong players. Make sure to take a look below for the match odds, breakdown of how each player made it to this point, and our best bet analysis.

Maria Sakkari vs Simona Halep WTA Kremlin Cup Quarterfinals Odds

Odds as of October 21st at DraftKings.

Sakkari Secures Spot in WTA Finals

With her win earlier today, 26-year Sakkari was able to secure her spot in her first WTA Finals, which is set to take place in Guadalajara later this year. She went on to defeat Anna Kalinskaya, when the Russian retired at 6-2, 1-0.

🇬🇷 @mariasakkari moves into the #VTBKremlinCup QFs following the retirement of Moscow native Kalinskaya.

The No.3 seed hit this sensational lob in the opening game 👇 pic.twitter.com/yKfLi2II1s

— wta (@WTA) October 21, 2021

Before the match ended, Sakkari was playing really well. The Greek star had gone 9 for 9 on her first serves, and didn’t face a break set as she motored through the first set in just a half hour. Kalinskaya was playing well up until this match. The Russian had won her past eight of nine matches, but retired against Sakkari due to viral illness.

Sakkari will now look towards Halep, who’s had an up and down year due to injury. But regardless of how her year has played out, the former World No.1 is always a tough opponent.

Halep Defeats Home Favorite

30-year old Halep went on to defeat Russian Veronika Kudermetova in her second round match to book her spot in the quarters. The Romanian has yet to lose a set over two matches in Moscow, and is showing signs of her old self. She defeated her first round opponent 6-1, 6-4, and went on to beat Kudermetova 6-1. 7(7)-6(4).

Halep is no stranger to success here at the Kremlin Cup. She went on to win the title back in 2013, and will look to make another finals appearance this year.

🇷🇴 @Simona_Halep 👉#VTBKremlinCup QFs

The 2013 Champion defeats Kudermetova 6-1, 7-6 (4) to set up a bout with No.3 seed Maria Sakkari. pic.twitter.com/MRdk1QWRuQ

— wta (@WTA) October 21, 2021

Her serve was perhaps the weakest part of her game in her most recent match. Halep didn’t record a single ace, but managed five double faults. She could only land 69 percent of her first serves, but then managed to convert them into a point 70 percent of the time.

Sakkari will be a tough opponent for the Romanian, given how strong of a year she’s had. But Halep has been here before, and does know what to expect.

Head-to-Head

Surprisingly, this is the first

Maria Sakkari vs Simona Halep Head-to-Head Stats

Best Bet

Right now, this is anyone’s match. Both Sakkari and Halep bring a lot to the table in terms of the style of play. Both are aggressive, and have found success. Sakkari has had a better year than Halep, as the Romanian has had to take longer periods of time off during the season, resulting in a 16-6, in comparison to Sakkari’s 34-17 record on the year.

But what Halep brings to this match that Sakkari can’t is experience and success at this particular tournament. Yes, it was a while ago, but Halep was the final player standing back in 2013.

This will most likely be one of, if not, the closest and most exciting quarterfinal of the day tomorrow. Again, both players have the tools, and are very capable of winning this match and moving onto the semifinals. So the best bet lands with the prediction that this match will go the distance, with the losing player being able to steal a set.

Best Bet: Ov 2.5 sets (+120)