There should be plenty of entertaining action on semifinal day at the WTA Stuttgart Open with two intriguing matches on the schedule in Germany. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our prediction for both matches. But who will secure their spot in Sunday’s final?
WTA Stuttgart Semifinal Predictions
Aryna Sabalenka vs Paula Badosa
Head-to-head: Badosa 2-0 Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka has endured a testing week so far at the WTA Stuttgart Open. She started her campaign against the returning Bianca Andreescu, digging out a 6-1 3-6 2-6 win over the Canadian. That set up a quarterfinal clash with Anett Kontaveit. Sabalenka has had the better of that particular rivalry and she extended her head-to-head advantage over the Estonian to 5-0, but 6-4 3-6 6-1 win was not entirely straightforward.
Paula Badosa, meanwhile, has also been tested so far in Stuttgart. In her opener, she had to dig deep to get the better of Elena Rybakina in a third-set tiebreak, before edging out Ons Jabeur in three hard-fought sets, 7-6 1-6 6-3. She may well feel confident heading into this match having beaten Sabalenka in both of their previous meetings, including a 6-4 6-0 win at the 2021 WTA Finals in their most recent meeting. This match will almost certainly be closer, but expect Badosa to have the edge again.
Prediction: Badosa in 3
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Iga Swiatek vs Ludmilla Samsonova
Head-to-head: first meeting
It has been another impressive week for Iga Swiatek so far at the WTA Stuttgart Open. The world #1, after a first-round bye, thrashed home Eva Lys for the loss of only two games in her opener and she backed that up by beating US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-4 6-4. However, her semifinal opponent Ludmilla Samsonova has also looked sharp so far in Stuttgart. The Russian started her week with a comprehensive 6-0 6-0 win over Chloe Paquet and that has rather set the tone.
In the second round, she beat sixth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4 6-4 and she then booked her place in the last four with a routine 7-5 6-3 win over surprise quarterfinalist Laura Siegemund. But it is hard to see her getting past Swiatek. The Pole appears to be enjoying the world #1 ranking, rather than struggling with the attendant pressures of that lofty position, and if she plays her best tennis, or something close to it, she should have too much in the tank for Samsonova.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
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