Second round action continues on Day 4 of the WTA Abierto Akron Zapopan in Guadalajara. There have been several upsets already this week, the draw is wide open for a number of players to make a deep run. Defending champion Sara Sorribes Tormo, Camila Osorio and Sloane Stephens are the only seeded players remaining in the draw, all three will be in action on day 4. How will they fare?
WTA Guadalajara Day 4 Predictions
Daria Saville vs Caroline Dolehide
H2H: Saville 1-0.
Daria Saville worked extremely hard for a 5-7 7-6 4-3 win via retirement over the top seeded Emma Raducanu. Both players struggled physically in a gruelling match lasting well over 3 hours, the longest match of the season thus far. Saville pushed through cramps, whilst Raducanu gave in to a hip injury. There were signs of the Saville of old, signs that the Australian is on the way the back.
Caroline Dolehide also came from a set down in her Guadalajara opener, a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win for the American qualifier. Back-to-back main draw wins at the tour level have been a real rarity for Dolehide, something she was unable to achieve since reaching the third round at Indian Wells in 2018.
I’m going to side with Saville here. Dolehide clearly struggles at this level. Saville’s movement and versatility will likely draw a heap of errors from Dolehide. Saville seems like the likely winner in this spot.
Prediction: Saville in 3
Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Magdalena Frech
H2H: First meeting.
Sara Sorribes Tormo claimed a typically grinding win to begin her title defense in Guadalajara, a 6-4 6-1 win over Katie Volynets. The Spaniard broke the resistance of the American in a lengthy opening set then cruised to victory. The slow courts in Guadalajara make Sorribes Tormo a difficult opponent, nothing comes easy for her opponents in these conditions. I doubt Frech has the tools to deal with the Sorribes Tormo challenge effectively. The Pole struggled in her opener against Renata Zarazua, eventually prevailing 7-6 4-6 6-4. If she struggled against Zarazua, that’s not a good sign. Frech doesn’t have the consistent weapons to hurt the Spaniard and she is unlikely to outlast her in a baseline scrap.
Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in 2
Camila Osorio vs Hailey Baptiste
H2H: 1-1.
Camila Osorio made a clean start to her Guadalajara campaign as she recorded a 6-4 6-3 win over Viktoriya Tomova. A single break of serve was enough for the Colombian as she went through the match without dropping her own serve.
Hailey Baptiste is motoring through the draw this week. The American cruised through the qualifying draw with a pair of easy straight set wins over Marcela Zacarias 6-1 6-3 and Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-3 6-4. The 20-year-old was equally dominant in her main draw debut as she defeated Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3 6-3.
Osorio won the most recent clash between the pair 7-6 7-6 during Australian Open qualifying last year. Osorio has achieved more at this level, but there’s no doubting Baptiste’s talent. Expect the American to put up a good fight, but ultimately Osorio is likely to be too strong.
Prediction: Osorio in 3
Sloane Stephens vs Chloe Paquet
H2H: First meeting.
Sloane Stephens had no trouble dispatching 14-year-old qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova in the opening round, a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 victory. Stephens hasn’t won back-to-back matches since last year’s US Open, something she should be able to change in Guadalajara.
Chloe Paquet completed an astonishing comeback to reach the second round in Guadalajara. The Frenchwoman turned a 0-5 deficit into a 7-5 opening set win against Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova. A 2-4 second set deficit was also overturned to complete a 7-5 7-5 victory.
This is a match that Stephens should win comfortably. The draw has opened up nicely this week with 5 of the 8 seeded players losing in the opening round. There’s a good chance for Stephens to gain some much needed momentum with a deep run this week. Stephens is easily the better player in all departments and should win this without too much drama.
Prediction: Stephens in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
