There has been no shortage of drama so far at the Tokyo Olympics and the entertaining tennis should continue on day four with all eight third-round matches on the schedule. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, including Marketa Vondrousova vs Naomi Osaka. But who will book their place in the quarterfinals?
Tokyo Olympics Day 4 Predictions
Maria Sakkari vs Elina Svitolina
Jim: Svitolina has found some form at the Tokyo Olympics and how she needed to. But the Ukrainian will need to be at her very best when she takes on Sakkari. The Greek has made light work of Anett Kontaveit and Nina Stojanovic so far in the Japanese capital and though she will probably have to work harder up against Svitolina, this looks like another winnable match for Sakkari.
Prediction: Sakkari in 3
Anurag: The Ukrainian exceeded expectations in sending off Siegemund and Tomljanovic, but she toiled through both matches, spending five hours on the court. And she is playing well below the level she displayed at the last Olympics in Rio. She is probably not going to get lucky a third time. The dominant Greek is going to make life even harder for the fourth seed than her first two opponents.
Prediction: Sakkari in 2
Yesh: This is an incredible matchup. How is it not a semifinal, or at least a quarter? Sakkari seems over her French Open disappointment, while Svitolina is calmly (and sometimes not-so-calmly) playing near her best tennis. With her new husband cheering her on from the empty stands, I think Svitolina has more to prove.
Prediction: Svitolina in 3
Garbine Muguruza vs Alison Van Uytvanck
Jim: Van Uytvanck delivered one of several surprise results when she rallied from a set down to oust Petra Kvitova in the second round. But Muguruza’s progress through the draw has so far been serene and although Van Uytvanck is an opponent who has troubled her in the past, the Spaniard should have enough to reach the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Muguruza in 3
Anurag: Muguruza had been through a turbulent phase after winning Wimbledon in 2018, but found some form early in 2020 and her good form lasted through to the first hard-court swing in 2021. She then slipped into another few months of poor form. But I believe she has regained her best form in Tokyo and might just finish with a medal.
Prediction: Muguruza in 3
Yesh: Muguruza is looking dominant. She almost got past Osaka at the Australian Open, and her current form is very reminiscent of that. This won’t be close.
Prediction: Muguruza in 2
Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Jim: Both women have made superb starts to their campaigns at the Tokyo Olympics. Pavlyuchenkova brushed aside her first two opponents for the loss of just three games whilst Sorribes Tormo stunned Ashleigh Barty in the first round before thrashing Fiona Ferro. But might the Russian have found the going too easy so far? Sorribes Tormo will certainly make for a sharp rise in the quality of her opposition and that might just prove to be her undoing.
Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in 3
Anurag: Strategic gameplay combined with the pride of playing for her nation may have helped Sorribes Tormo sculpt a sensational upset of Barty, but it was really more a case of the Australian not playing well. Pavlyuchenkova has a superior game and she is in form too. She also came out the winner in their last meeting at Roland Garros. Expect the Russian to ease through.
Prediction: Pavlyuchenkova in 2
Yesh: What a run from Sorribes Tormo. First she took out the world #1, then she followed it up without nerves. Unfortunately for her, Pavlyuchenkova is looking more dominant than we’ve seen from her since Juniors. The Russian is on a mission here, and the Spaniard doesn’t have the game to stop it.
Prediction: Pavlyuchenkova in 2
Paula Badosa vs Nadia Podoroska
Jim: Badosa looks increasingly accomplished on all three surfaces. The Spaniard excelled on the clay, posted solid results on the grass and is now playing very well on the hard courts at the Tokyo Olympics. Podoroska has also impressed so far, but the Spaniard must be accounted the favourite heading into this match after upsetting Iga Swiatek in the second round. Expect her to back that performance up with another win.
Prediction: Badosa in 2
Anurag: Badosa is in the middle of an undeniably fantastic season. She made deep runs at both the Madrid Open and Roland Garros, as well as reaching the third round at Wimbledon, before springing a sensational upset of Swiatek in the second round in Tokyo. I think she may be just about unstoppable now.
Prediction: Badosa in 2
Yesh: Two youngsters will make a statement here about the future of the sport. I can’t wait to see this matchup more, which I certainly expect (especially on clay). Right now, though, Badosa looks to be slightly stronger. Slightly.
Prediction: Badosa in 3
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