It’s quarterfinal day at the WTA Budapest Grand Prix. Defending champion Yulia Putintseva remains in contention to reach the last four, but there are other potential storylines on Friday, especially with the likes of Xiyu Wang and home favorite Anna Bondar still in the mix. Who will reach the semifinals?
WTA Budapest Quarterfinal PredictionsXiyu Wang vs Aleksandra Krunic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Xiyu Wang came out on top in one of the most entertaining matches on day four. The Chinese left-hander battled past Ana Bogdan and won in two tiebreak sets. Wang is now guaranteed to enter the world’s top 100 for the first time. Her next opponent Aleksandra Krunic hardly had to break a sweat against Wang’s more experienced countrywoman Zhang Shuai. Krunic won all her return games and completed a 6-1 6-0 whitewash in just 49 minutes. The Serbian possesses a wealth of experience at this level (she is set to re-enter the world’s top 100) but is unlikely to outplay Wang in a baseline battle.
Prediction: Wang in 3
Bernarda Pera vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Head-to-head: first meeting
Bernarda Pera continues to do her best work on clay. She reached her third quarterfinal on the surface this year after defeating Aliaksandra Sasnovich in straight sets. The American lefty is yet to drop a set in four matches having navigated her way into the main draw from qualifying. Pera’s next test will be against the high-flying Elisabetta Cocciaretto. The 21-year-old Italian has been on a tear on the WTA’s second tier, winning two ITF titles and a WTA 125K crown in Makarska. Cocciaretto won’t make it easy for Pera in this one, but the American should probably have the higher ceiling in this matchup.
Prediction: Pera in 3
Anna Bondar vs Martina Trevisan
Head-to-head: first meeting
Trevisan has cracked the world’s top 30 for the first time following that sensational run to the semifinals of the French Open. But grass is a foreign surface for the Italian who failed to win a match at tournaments. She has since returned to winning ways at the WTA Budapest Grand Prix, picking up victories over Natalia Szabanin and Kateryna Baindl respectively. But can she avoid the upset on Friday? It looks like Anna Bondar has caught fire by playing on home soil and her overall form on clay coming to the tournament has been quite impressive. An upset is very much on the table here.
Prediction: Bondar in 3
Yulia Putintseva vs Lesia Tsurenko
Head-to-head: Putintseva 4-2 Tsurenko
Yulia Putintseva remains in pursuit of winning her second title in these parts. The defending champion survived a first-set scare before blitzing past Laura Pigossi. The same cannot be said of Lesia Tsurenko who played in the longest WTA match this year, clocking at three hours and 53 minutes. If anything, the Ukranian might have plotted her own downfall here given her documented fitness record.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
