Analysis for Vakulenko-Hercog (WTA Portoroz)

Head-to-head record 0:0

Young Slovenian talent Polona Hercog will play Julia Vakulenko in the opening round at Portoroz. Hercog is currently at her career highest ranking of World Number 206. The Slovenian is still competing in junior competition. She reached the final of the 2008 ?stanbul Cup doubles competition with New Zealand's Marina Erakovic, before they lost to Jill Craybas and Olga Govortsova, 6-1, 6-2. Hercog has not won a title on the WTA Tour, but she has been able to earn four singles titles and three doubles titles on the ITF Circuit. She is still very young and definitely has a potential to succeed on the WTA Tour as well. Her YTD record of 34-9 is pretty impressive and we believe she can reach her career best result in her home town. Her opponent will be Julia Vakulenko who has been absolutely catastrophic this year so far. She has a great 2007 season becoming Kim Clijsters' last opponent in her professional career. Vakulenko defeated Belgian star which earned her the nickname "Kimmie Killer". A week later, she defeated World No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo in Berlin and then defeated Dinara Safina to earn a spot in the semifinals against Ana Ivanovic. In August, in the first round of the US Open, Julia defeated number nine seed Daniela Hantuchova and eventually reached the fourth round, her best performance at a major yet, before falling to Agnes Szavay. At the final event of the season, the Bell Challenge held in Quebec City, Canada, Julia reached the first WTA final of her career. However, after changing of her citizenship from Ukrainian to Spanish, she won just 1 match out of 9 this year. She seems to be totally out of form which gives a solid chance to the Slovenian young gun. Odds around 2.5 are worth taking here.