The WTA Linz Open sort of unusually ends on a Friday, meaning that the semifinal round of this event will be contested on Thursday. Simona Halep takes on Jaqueline Cristian in an all-Romanian meeting that we’ve already seen in Cluj this year, while Danielle Collins and Alison Riske will battle for who gets to play in the penultimate final of the 2021 WTA Tour. Who do you think will advance?
WTA Linz Semifinal Predictions
Alison Riske vs Danielle Collins
Head-to-head: Collins 1-0
Danielle Collins is still going a bit under the radar, but she’s been one of the most exciting players of the season on the women’s tour. While she hasn’t really had a statement run at the slam, she’s been able to play her best much more consistently. She’s also claimed two WTA titles (San Jose and Palermo) and generally performed very well in lower-tier events.
Alison Riske had to start her season late due to an Achilles injury, but has been slowly regaining form since the summer. The American reached the final at Portoroz in August and found another good result here, not losing a single set along the way. So has Collins though and the 27-year-old seems in a prime position to take this semifinal. Her power-oriented game can be quite something on faster surfaces and she’s probably the one that can better utilize the indoor conditions at Linz.
Prediction: Collins in 3
Simona Halep vs Jaqueline Adina Cristian
Head-to-head: Halep 1-0
The all-Romanian semifinal will be a rematch for their meeting thirteen days ago, when the much more experienced Simona Halep crushed her talented compatriot 6-1 6-1. It hasn’t been a great year for the two-time Grand Slam champion, but it still requires a huge effort to beat her. The conditions in Linz are fairly similar to the ones at Cluj and just like back on home soil, Halep’s could potentially deliver another baseline masterclass.
The 30-year-old had to pull off a very tough comeback on Wednesday, coming back from a set down to beat Jasmine Paolini. Fatigue shouldn’t really be a concern though as compared to most years, Halep has a rather light schedule (mostly due to injuries). For Jaqueline Adina Cristian, this will be her 63rd match of the season, while the older of the two Romanians will contest her 36th.
Prediction: Halep in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
