Palpites para Katie Volynets — Robin Montgomery

Volynets’ Philadelphia title was more than a soft run: she went through the week without dropping a set, then absorbed Valentova’s heavy hitting in the final. In Seoul, she beat Kalieva and Rakhimova in straight sets before a narrow three-set loss to eventual champion Birrell. Steadier hard-court form gives her a useful answer to Montgomery’s left-handed first strike.

Montgomery has adjusted quickly in Beijing, but her qualifying wins came against players ranked 348 and 260. They do not outweigh the Seoul loss to No. 304 Park or the lead she let slip against Sakkari, when she was a set and 4–0 up. At this price, Volynets to win is the call: the modest favourite’s recent singles level against stronger opposition is being undervalued.

There is no case for treating it as a runaway. Montgomery’s serve is a real threat, and Volynets also lost control after taking the first set against Birrell; that makes the outright win a better fit than expecting a dominant scoreline.