After what has been an entertaining week of tennis so far at the WTA Lyon Open, just eight women remain in contention for the International-level title. But who will book their place in the semifinals?
Lyon Open Quarterfinal Predictions
Daria Kasatkina vs Camila Giorgi
Head-to-head: first meeting
This could well prove to be the match of quarterfinals’ day at the Lyon Open. Daria Kasatkina has struggled badly over the last 12 months, with the Russian having fallen from inside the world’s top 10 to outside the top 70. But she has played some fine tennis this week, first battling past Pauline Parmentier and a vocal French crowd, despite squandering two match points, before dismissing the challenge of Irina Bara, who had qualified into the main draw, for the loss of just five games.
Camila Giorgi too has toiled for little reward of late, but she has looked sharp at the Lyon Open. The Italian opened her campaign with a composed 6-3 6-4 win over Vera Lapko, before extending her recent domination of her rivalry with Alize Cornet by beating the fourth seed 4-6 7-6 6-2, her fifth straight win over the Frenchwoman. There looks to be little between this pair on paper. But where Giorgi may be able to gain the upper hand is in her greater willingness and ability to play on the front foot, which should serve her well in the indoor conditions in Lyon.
Prediction: Giorgi in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Viktoria Kuzmova vs Anna-Lena Friedsam
Head-to-head: Kuzmova 1-0 Friedsam
Viktoria Kuzmova has scored some much-needed wins so far at the Lyon Open, beating Lesley Kerkhove and Tereza Martincova to reach the quarterfinals. But the Slovakian has been made to work hard for her victories, with both Kerkhove and Martincova taking her the distance. Whilst the fact that she has been able to tough out those wins is broadly encouraging, it does not bode particularly well for her chances up against Anna-Lena Friedsam. The German has been in fine form so far at the Lyon Open, dispatching Anastasiya Komardina and Kristina Mladenovic with ease. Expect her to claim another scalp in the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Friedsam in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Sofia Kenin vs Oceane Dodin
Head-to-head: first meeting
Having struggled for rhythm and with raised expectations in the wake of her Australian Open triumph, Sofia Kenin will surely have been pleased with the manner of her 6-3 6-4 win over the unorthodox Vitalia Diatchenko in the first round. But she was swiftly reminded of the challenges posed by her newfound status as a Major champion in the last 16, where the qualifier Jaqueline Cristian played the match of her life to take Kenin to the brink, with the American only narrowly emerging a 5-7 7-6 6-4 winner.
And she may well be in for another test when she takes on Oceane Dodin, who impressed in her 6-4 6-4 win over Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella. But Kenin will surely have benefited from her win over Cristian. Although she did not play her best tennis, Kenin showed admirable mental fortitude to save a match point and then hang tough in a difficult third set. Expect an improved display from the world #5 and a more comfortable day at the office as a result.
Prediction: Kenin in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Caroline Garcia vs Alison Van Uytvanck
Head-to-head: Garcia 1-0 Van Uytvanck
Like several other players in the field at the Lyon Open, Caroline Garcia arrived in southern France a player seeking some momentum after a long period stuck in the morass. And so far, that decision has paid off for the Frenchwoman, who has scored creditable wins over Greet Minnen and Ysaline Bonaventure, both of Belgium. But one rather suspects that Alison Van Uytvanck, the third Belgian she has faced in as many matches, will provide sterner resistance.
Van Uytvanck, seeded fifth, made a fast start to her campaign, thrashing Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa 6-1 6-3 in her opener. She backed that up by toughing out a three-set win over Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova, coming back from a set down to do so. However, up against Garcia, she will also have to contend with the crowd, who have given Garcia valuable support in the vital moments. That, combined with the third seeds ability to spread the court and thus expose Van Uytvanck’s relative lack of mobility, should be enough to see her into the last four.
Prediction: Garcia in 3
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
