Sara Saito vs Sayaka Ishii: Preview and Predictions for the Toray Pan Pacific Open

Sara Saito and Sayaka Ishii are set to face off in the first round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan. This match, scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, 2024, marks the first time these two Japanese players will compete against each other in a main tour event.

Sara Saito, ranked 158th in the world, enters the tournament as a lucky loser after being defeated in her second qualifying round match by Zeynep Sonmez. Despite this, Saito has shown strong form recently, reaching the quarter-finals in her last tournament, a WTA 125 event in Osaka, where she beat two top 65 ranked players.

Sayaka Ishii, ranked 279th, qualified for the main draw by winning two qualifying matches. The 19-year-old came from behind to win her final qualifying match against Clara Tauson, despite losing the first set 6-1. Ishii has struggled in recent events, having lost three of her last five matches.

The predictions favor Sara Saito to win the match. With odds of 1.43 for Saito and 2.82 for Ishii, analysts expect Saito to secure the victory, potentially in two sets. Saito’s solid win-loss record, particularly on hard courts, and her recent performance in Osaka, bolster her chances against Ishii.

In terms of head-to-head performance, since this is their first meeting, there is no prior data to draw from. However, Saito’s overall form and ranking suggest she has the upper hand in this encounter.