The WTA Bronx Open continues with top seed Wang Qiang taking on lucky loser Anna Blinkova and Camila Giorgi renewing her dormant rivalry with Alize Cornet.
WTA Bronx Open Day 5 Predictions
Katerina Siniakova vs Bernarda Pera
Katerina Siniakova has never lost to Bernarda Pera. The two have met twice in the last twelve months with Siniakova prevailing in two easy sets both times. Pera has played brilliantly and both women have looked imperious so far in New York. Pera was pushed in her round of 16 match against Barbora Strycova but after dropping the first set steamrolled Strycova running away for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory. Siniakova has yet to be pushed to three sets and did not drop a game in her round of 16 match – won by retirement – against a faltering Anastasia Potapova. The Czech has had Pera’s measure in the past and will be fresh after a straightforward match on Tuesday.
Siniakova in 2.
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Karolina Muchova vs Magda Linette
Magda Linette’s run to the quarter finals in New York is the story of the tournament so far. Not only did she play through qualifying to earn a spot in the main draw, but she has also yet to drop a set even when faced with some of the strongest competition in the field including Kaia Kanepi, and, in her round of 16 match, Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Karolina Muchova’s hyper speed victory over Kristie Ahn in the round of 16 and her comfortable win against Viktoria Kuzmova, make clear how strong her own campaign has been. The two women have never played each other on the WTA tour and this first match sees both in top form. A close contest is likely with Linette conjuring more magic and extending her run.
Linette in 3.
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Wang Qiang vs Anna Blinkova
Anna Blinkova is on a thrilling run that began in qualifying, like Magda Linette. Unlike Linette, she is not undefeated in New York as she made her way into the main draw as a lucky loser after falling to Linette in the final round of qualifying. Wang Qiang, by contrast, has breezed into the quarterfinals after a swift 6-1, 6-4 win against Fiona Ferro. Wang and Blinkova have not played before. The Chinese player will take comfort in the fact that she is currently ranked 75 spots higher than her opponent. Wang is the top seed in New York and while Blinkova’s run has been impressive, her game is unlikely to trouble her higher ranked opponent.
Wang in 2.
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Camila Giorgi vs Alize Cornet
Camila Giorgi and Alize Cornet’s rivalry of the past five years has been a stop and start affair. They played three times in 2014, once in 2015, and their last meeting was Giorgi’s victory at Wimbledon in 2017. Cornet won their first two matches, but has not gotten the better of Giorgi since. Giorgi is the in-form player of the Bronx open so far. She has played her fearless hard-hitting tennis against all comers and, while Cornet will be her sternest test yet, she’ll have confidence from her recent successes. The one major caveat is that the two matches Cornet won at the beginning of their rivalry are also the only two the pair have contested on hard courts. Giorgi will have to do something a little special to secure victory.
Giorgi in 3.
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