The second week of the WTA Miami Open is upon us and we have a plethora of high-quality matches on the slate. Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka leads the field in an action-packed Monday at the Hard Rock Stadium. As always, we here at LWOT, will cover every single one of those matches including Petra Kvitova and Iga Swiatek’s round of 16 matches.
WTA Miami Day 7 Predictions
Aliaksandra Sasnovich vs Belinda Bencic
Head-to-head: Sasnovich 1-0 Bencic
Bencic hasn’t particularly impressed at the top-level tournaments this year. But a run to the fourth round of the Miami Open might give her some kind of kickstart. She has made it this far following a pair of solid wins, dropping just nine games in the process. Sasnovich, for her part, has a knack for upsetting the WTA’s finest but is equally inconsistent. Backing the higher-ranked Swiss seems like the only viable option.
Prediction: Bencic in 2
Daria Saville vs Lucia Bronzetti
Head-to-head: first meeting
News of Ashleigh Barty’s shock retirement rocked the tennis world this week. But that hasn’t stopped Australian tennis players from taking over the mantle at the Miami Open. One of the players flourishing at the North American hard-court swing is Daria Saville. The 28-year-old’s career relaunch has taken shape in recent weeks after recovering from a career-threatening Achilles injury. Saville put together a tremendous run to the fourth round of Indian Wells in the past two weeks and has since continued in a similar vein in Miami. She takes on Italian lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti who hasn’t played since Thursday. That was after her third-round opponent Anna Kalinskaya pulled out on short notice. Saville is the superior player despite her low-ranking status and should be expected to make light work of the World No. 104.
Prediction: Saville in 2
Alison Riske vs Naomi Osaka
Head-to-head: Riske 1-1 Osaka
31-year-old Alison Riske scored her ninth win of the season after beating fellow American Ann Li to reach the Miami Open fourth round for the first time. In contrast, she tallied 16 wins in the entire 2021 season which is an apt reflection of her inconsistency.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to predict Naomi Osaka’s matches. She is richly talented, but her personality has stalled her progress. Riske is an upset specialist, But I expect Osaka to keep the good vibes flowing at the Miami Open.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
Danielle Collins vs Ons Jabeur
Head-to-head: Collins 1-1 Jabeur
This for me is the pick of the fourth-round matches on Monday. It is a clash of styles as Collins’ power meets Jabeur’s court craft. Collins has chalked the third-most points in the WTA Race in 2022. She sits below new World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari, having played fewer tournaments than both. There is so much sorcery that Jabeur produces with that Wilson wand. The Tunisian tormented Kaia Kanepi in the third round, winning 6-3 6-0, and has warmed up nicely for another power-hitting opponent.
Collins is not lacking in versatility in her game, unlike Kanepi. But with very little game time in recent weeks, she could be playing second fiddle to the Tunisian.
Prediction: Jabeur in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
