With six Grand Slam champions set to take to the court on day seven at the WTA Miami Open, there should be plenty of entertaining tennis to enjoy. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Elise Mertens vs Naomi Osaka. But who will book their place in the quarterfinals in the Sunshine State?
WTA Miami Open Day Seven Predictions
Ashleigh Barty vs Victoria Azarenka
Head-to-head: Barty 1-1 Azarenka
This is surely the headline match of day seven. Ashleigh Barty’s Australian Open campaign may have ended in a disappointing loss to Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals, but that should not detract unduly from what has been a broadly impressive start to the season for the Australian. She arrived at the WTA Miami Open having been out of action since a second-round loss in Adelaide, but, after a slow start against Kristina Kucova, she looked back to something approaching her best in beating Jelena Ostapenko.
Victoria Azarenka also saw her Australian Open end in frustrating fashion as she was knocked out in the first round by eventual quarterfinalist Jessica Pegula. But she bounced back by reaching the semifinals in Qatar. The Belarusian reached the third round without playing a shot in anger after a first-round bye and a walkover, but she played well to beat Angelique Kerber 7-5 6-2. This promises to be a close match, but Azarenka’s greater power from the baseline and excellent return game might just give the 14th see a decisive edge.
Prediction: Azarenka in 3
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Marketa Vondrousova vs Aryna Sabalenka
Head-to-head: Vondrousova 2-1 Sabalenka
This feels like an important match in Aryna Sabalenka’s season. The Belarusian made a winning start to 2021 in Abu Dhabi, but although she has played well since, her results have been disappointing. But a deep run at the WTA Miami Open would surely kickstart her season ahead of the European clay-court swing. The Belarusian came perilously close to falling at the first hurdle, but dug deep to edge out Tsvetana Pironkova 11-9 in a deciding tiebreak.
She backed that up by Veronika Kudermetova in slightly more convincing fashion, 7-6 6-4, to earn a shot at Marketa Vondrousova. The Czech has picked up two very creditable wins herself so far at the WTA Miami Open, beating Wang Qiang in straight-sets before battling past Belinda Bencic in three. However, although she leads this head-to-head, it is hard to escape the conclusion that this match rests on Sabalenka’s racket. If the seventh seed can maintain her focus, expect her to hit through Vondrousova and into the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
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Garbine Muguruza vs Bianca Andreescu
Head-to-head: Andreescu 1-0 Muguruza
After missing the entirety of the 2020 season, Bianca Andreescu has faced some challenging draws on her return to the WTA Tour. That trend has continued in Miami, with the Canadian forced to battle past qualifier Tereza Martincova, before coming up against 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in the third round. But the Canadian clearly enjoys a challenge and just about scraped past Anisimova, 6-4 in the third.
However, it is hard to see her stay in Miami continuing past day seven. Andreescu may draw confidence from having beaten Garbine Muguruza for the loss of only one game in their only previous meeting, but the Spaniard is perhaps the form player on the WTA Tour at the moment. She has impressed in beating Wang Xinyu and Anna Kalinskaya, from 0-3 down in the decider, so far at the WTA Miami Open and she should have enough to add Andreescu to her list of scalps.
Prediction: Muguruza in 3
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Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Ons Jabeur
Head-to-head: Jabeur 4-1 Sorribes Tormo
Sara Sorribes Tormo’s recent run of hard-court results bodes very well for her future. The 24-year-old won the title at the WTA Guadalajara Open before reaching the second round in Monterrey, and she has maintained that fine form thus far at the WTA Miami Open. She started her week in Florida by beating Bernard Pera, 6-2 2-6 7-5, and then rallied from a set down to upset 13th seed and Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady. Sorribes Tormo then got the better of the struggling Elena Rybakina to reach the last 16.
Standing between her and a place in the quarterfinals is Ons Jabeur. The Tunisian has had to work hard for her place in the fourth round, edging out Paula Badosa Gibert in her opener before ousting the fourth seed Sofia Kenin, 6-4 4-6 6-4. But she will surely head into this match with real confidence having won four of her five meetings with Sorribes Tormo. In fact, she has lost only eight games in her last three wins over the Spaniard. This match will likely be closer, but it is hard to ignore such dominance.
Prediction: Jabeur in 3
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