Guusje Steenhuis ready to regain gold in Abu Dhabi

Top seed Guusje Steenhuis of the Netherlands earned a career-best silver medal at the World Championships in Baku and must now follow up with a second Grand Slam gold medal in Abu Dhabi. Steenhuis is an expert at Grand Slam level. She won this tournament in 2016. Steenhuis, who lost to Japan’s Hamada Shori in the World Championships final, has medalled at her last seven events and starts as the red hot favourite for U78kg gold on Monday.

World number three Natalie Powell (GBR) missed the podium in Baku and finished seventh at the Cancun Grand Prix last time out. Former world bronze medallist Powell won gold in Abu Dhabi last year and will be expected to rediscover her form in the U.A.E. Germany’s 18-time Grand Prix medallist Luise Malzahn and former Hohhot Grand Prix winner Bernadette Graf (AUT) will also be worth tracking on the last day of competition in Abu Dhabi.

Steenhuis is in one pool with Laia Talarn who won in Malaga last week. Klara Apotekar will face Bernadette Graf in an interesting first round contest. Same for Ana-Maria Wagner vs Sama Hawa Camara, two tall women.

Natalie Powell might face Beata Pacut in the quarter final. Karen Stevenson (NED) will face an experienced player in Yahima Ramirez, or more likely Luise Malzahn, who more often battles with the Dutch women.