The round of 16 will be completed on day four in at the WTA Strasbourg Open. The quarterfinalists will surely all feel as though they are in with a chance of a title win that for many would be their first, whilst for others would represent a return to former glories. Who will make it into the last eight?
WTA Strasbourg Day 4 Predictions
Elise Mertens vs Anna-Lena Friedsam
Head-to-head: first meeting
Despite few good results in 2022, Elise Mertens remains a class or two above Anna-Lena Friedsam. Mertens is also the player that is more comfortable on the surface so the Belgian has a lot going for her ahead of this one. If she produces the solid game that she is renowned for then that should be far to good for the German here.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
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Viktorija Golubic vs Fiona Ferro
Head-to-head: Ferro 3-1 Golubic
This time last year, it would have been hard to see Ferro losing this match. The Frenchwoman looked like an improved player with the potential to pick up WTA250 titles such as these. However, she has had a terrible twelve months, winning only 33% of her matches and dropping way outside the top 100 from a high of #39. Viktorija Golubic, on the other hand, had a real surge of form in 2022 and worked her way to #35.
But in a similar way to Ferro it is becoming clear that retaining that high ranking may be unsustainable for the Swiss. All of this pair’s previous meetings have come on hard court or indoors and perhaps Ferro had the advantage on those surfaces. Golubic though has the better hold and break percentages on clay over the last year and a continuation of her usual standard should be enough to win here.
Prediction: Golubic in 2
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Karolina Pliskova vs Bernarda Pera
Head-to-head: Pliskova 1-0 Pera
Pliskova is in real danger of slipping well out of contention at the top of the game. Despite her famous lack of a Grand Slam title, the former-world #1 has been a serial winner on tour. However, she has yet to win this year, and indeed it has been over a year now since her last tournament victory. There will not be many better chances than in this field if she can hold some form. The Czech dismissed Pera in their last meeting and usually the American does flop against the very best having lost her last nine against top-10 opposition. Pliskova should be able to dictate and move Pera around enough to take a comfortable victory.
Prediction: Pliskova in 2
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