It looks like the WTA Tour is going to be just as predictable this year as it was last year. Only ten women won titles in 2021 and already it the women’s tour looks to be similarly deep and competitive this year. Outside of Ashleigh Barty, there is no women on the tour who has established themselves as a dominant figure. That may change soon, but for now every tournament is filled with surprises, upsets and must-see tennis. Qatar has been no different and the remaining days here should be brilliant to watch. With that in mind, let’s take a look at who should move on in our WTA Qatar Day 4 predictions. We also look at the day’s other matches in a separate article.
WTA Qatar Day 4 Predictions
Jelena Ostapenko vs Barbora Krejcikova
Head-to-head: 2 – 1 Krejcikova
We may not have had much consistency in the WTA in recent years, but we do seem to get at least one resurgent star every season. In 2020 it was Victoria Azarenka making waves. Last year Garbiñe Muguruza stormed back into the top ten in the women’s game. This year it appears to be Jelena Ostapenko’s turn. The Latvian is playing the best tennis of her career at the moment and is fresh of a second big title in the last 12 months. She faces a fellow French Open champion in Barbora Krejcikova here. The Czech has superb variety and will look to disrupt the Latvian’s hitting power. However, Ostapenko is so sure of herself at the moment. She’s serving well and hitting winners effortlessly off both wings. It’s hard to pick against her at the moment so I’m not going to.
Predictions: Ostapenko in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Aryna Sabalenka vs Jil Teichmann
Head-to-head: First meeting
Jil Teichmann continues to improve on hard courts and scored a great win against Angelique Kerber in her first round. The leftie is most comfortable on clay, but flattens her shot out very well which makes her dangerous on hard courts. However, she doesn’t have the weapons to contend with elite players on the WTA Tour and Aryna Sabalenka is precisely that. The Belarusian has had a shaky start to 2021, but that shouldn’t detract from the fact that she can blow anyone off the court when she is on song. It’s only a matter of time before a player of her quality gets going again and I suspect that may well happen here.
Predictions: Sabalenka in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Paula Badosa vs Coco Gauff
Head-to-head: 1 – 0 Badosa
Paula Badosa is another 2021 standout who hasn’t quite got going yet this year. Coco Gauff could be put in the same bracket, though the American is still very young and inexperienced by comparison. Nonetheless, the level Badosa showed in 2021 makes it hard to bet against her coming up big at some point in the coming months. It was a brilliant European clay court spell last year that established the Spaniard as a top tier player and we may have to wait until then again to see her at her best. Gauff’s backhand is a real weapon and her serve will win her free points here. This should be a real dog fight and I think the American may just edge it.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Maria Sakkari vs Jessica Pegula
Head-to-head: 2 – 1 Sakkari
Right, here we go again. Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, Maria Sakkari choked in St Petersburg. Once again she was the best player in the tournament and once again she crumbled when it matter. She served for the match in both the second and third sets in the final of that tournament. She was the better player for all but one tiebreak and four games in that match. However, those four games were the ones that cost her the title. The Greek has now firmly established herself as a contender in any tournament. What she is yet to do is establish herself as a winner of those same tournaments. Jessica Pegula is no slouch and will be a real test for the Greek. However, I think Sakkari is hungry for a title and will believe she can win one here. She may be a shaky bet to win finals, but she’s a very solid bet to make the late stages of any tournament and I think she will again here.
Prediction: Sakkar in 3
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
