American tennis fans still have home of a home champion in the WTA Charleston tournament with Coco Gauff and Sloane Stephens in Friday’s quarterfinal matches. Top seed Ash Barty will also be in action. Here are all your predictions.
Ash Barty vs Paula Badosa
Badosa is 9-6 in 2021 and this is her second best result of the season (semifinals in Lyon the best). It’s been three quality wins but Barty is going to be an incredibly tough opponent. The Australian is 17-3 on the season, winning Miami and two matches in Charleston including a tough win in the last round against Shelby Rogers. Barty is well positioned to continue her advance at this tournament. Barty in 2
Veronika Kudermetova vs Sloane Stephens
Kudermetova has amassed a stronger record than Stephens thus far, with Stephens trio of straight set victories to reach the quarterfinals her best results of the season, while Kudermetova who has one other quarterfinal and a final in 2021, has also won all her matches without dropping a set. This match should be competitive but I’m not sold on Stephens against higher end competition. Kudermetova in 3
Danka Kovinic vs Yulia Putintseva
Putintseva is 2-0 in the h2h though that’s not recent, Kovinic’s breakthrough upset of Petra Kvitova is her biggest result of the season while Putintseva is lucky to be here. She trailed Garbine Muguruza before Muguruza retired from the match, and that is not the most bullish sign for her chances. Given the h2h and respective records though, Kovinic is still at a disadvantage. Putintseva in 3
Coco Gauff vs Ons Jabeur
Coco Gauff is at a career high ranking and has posted a strong 12-7 record in 2021 with a semiifinal and now a pair of quarterfinals on the season. Jabeur also at a career high ranking, has posted a similar 13-7 record, although this is her best result on the year. This should be the match of the day, with a slight edge to Gauff at home. Gauff in 2
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