After what has been a thrilling week of tennis so far at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships, just eight women remain in contention in the UAE. All will surely be determined to secure their place in the last four, so an engaging day of tennis should be in the offing. But who will advance?
WTA Dubai Tennis Championships Quarterfinal Predictions
Barbora Krejcikova vs Anastasia Potapova
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is a big opportunity for both of these players to reach the semifinals at one of the biggest WTA Tour events of the year. Both have more than earned their place in the quarterfinals, with Barbora Krejcikova having scored excellent wins over Maria Sakkari, Jelena Ostapenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova, all without dropping a set, whilst Anastasia Potapova beat Laura Siegemund and Madison Keys before battling past Belinda Bencic in three sets.
Both are at their best playing on the front foot, with Potapova able to summon surprising power off the ground. But where the Russian is at her best is when feeding off pace her opponent’s give her, as she demonstrated in her 6-3 6-4 dismantling of Keys. That is not entirely encouraging ahead of this match. Krejcikova is not without power, but her greatest strengths are her touch and her knowledge of when to come forward. That should give her the edge here.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 3
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Elise Mertens vs Jessica Pegula
Head-to-head: Mertens 1-0 Pegula
Jessica Pegula has started 2021 in some style. The American has already gone along way towards proving that her run to the Australian Open quarterfinals was anything but a flash in the pan, having made the semifinals last week in Doha and now the quarterfinals at least in Dubai. And it is not just that she has been winning matches that is impressive. So far this week, Pegula has lost just eight games across three matches in beating Yaroslava Shvedova, Kristina Mladenovic and world #6 Karolina Pliskova.
Elise Mertens too has found some form after a disappointing start to the season. She was not quite at her best in her opener, but rallied from a set down to beat Viktoriya Tomova before dismissing Shelby Rogers and Caroline Garcia, both in straight sets. She also beat Pegula comprehensively in their only previous meeting which came last season at the US Open. But with Pegula in such good form, it is hard not to like the American’s chances of avenging that defeat.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
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Garbine Muguruza vs Aryna Sabalenka
Head-to-head: Muguruza 1-1 Sabalenka
This is surely the pick of the quarterfinals at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships. Both Garbine Muguruza and Aryna Sabalenka have been in excellent form for the most part this year, with Muguruza reaching finals at the WTA Yarra Valley Classic and last week in Doha, whilst Sabalenka lifted the title in Abu Dhabi in the first week of the season. They have continued that fine form so far in the UAE, with neither having dropped a set all week.
One imagines that Muguruza will draw real confidence from her victory over Sabalenka en route to the final in Doha, with the Spaniard winning a hard-fought three-set encounter 6-2 6-7 6-3. But, in truth, there was relatively little between the pair, with Muguruza winning by virtue of playing her best tennis when it mattered most. This match promises to be similarly close, but it is Sabalenka who will be the mentally fresher and the Belarusian has looked determined to go deep this week.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
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Jil Teichmann vs Cori Gauff
Head-to-head: Gauff 2-0 Teichmann
Jil Teichmann will surely be less than pleased to see Cori Gauff across the net in this match. The pair have played twice already this season and Gauff has won on both occasions. Their first contest, which came at the WTA Gippsland Trophy was very closely fought, but Gauff won the second, in the first round at the Australian Open, at a canter. Equally, however, Teichmann has looked very sharp so far this week, picking up wins over Katarina Zavatska, Petra Kvitova (by retirement) and Ons Jabeur.
Gauff has not played badly by any means, but she has not perhaps been quite as impressive as Teichmann. Nonetheless, it is hard to believe that Teichmann will not be affected by those back-to-back defeats, especially if this match is close, as it looks likely to be. Gauff will need to prevent Teichmann from dictating with her forehand, but if the American can keep the scoreline close and find Teichmann’s backhand regularly enough, expect her mental edge to prove decisive.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
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