A tournament rich in history, the WTA Ladies Open Lausanne dates all the way back to 1899 and in years past has crowned the likes of Chris Evert and Lindsay Davenport as champions on its clay surface. As the quarterfinals arrive Friday, just eight players remain with a chance to add their name to that board of champions, including a handful of Swiss home favorites.
WTA Lausanne Quarterfinal Predictions
Anastasia Potapova vs Jule Niemeier
Head to head: First meeting
A player whose star seems firmly on the rise, the 22-year-old German Niemeier has made a seamless transition back onto clay after her quarterfinal run at Wimbledon. Potapova–who has had a stop-start season so far–is playing her first tournament in almost a month, and did well to best Irina-Camelia Begu in the round of 16. There isn’t much to separate them on paper, but it’s Niemeier who has the form book on her side here.
Prediction: Niemeier in 2
Simona Waltert vs Olga Danilovic
Head to head: First meeting
This is a first meeting at the Tour level, but the two did meet in qualification for this year’s French Open, with Danilovic winning in three sets. This Tour-level match is something of an outlier for these two, who have predominantly plied their trade on the ITF circuit. Home favorite Waltert will have buoyed hugely by her win over #1 seed Danielle Collins, while Danilovic has already had a long week after coming through the qualifiers. It’s another tough one to pick, but Waltert should be the fresher of the pair – and will have the undeniable home crowd support.
Prediction: Waltert in 2
Caroline Garcia vs Sara Sorribes Tormo
Head to head: 1-0 Garcia
Two players who have lived up to their seeding at this tournament, the #6 Garcia is in flying form after a tremendous run at Wimbledon, and before that, a title at the Hamburg Open. That was her first trophy in three years, which seems startling for a woman who was ranked at #4 as recently as September 2018. The #4 seed Sorribes Tormo is a tough opponent though. Clay is the favoured surface for the Spaniard – some may remember her crushing win over Naomi Osaka at Madrid earlier this year. However, Garcia’s good form makes her the favourite here.
Prediction: Garcia in 3
Petra Martic vs Belinda Bencic
Head to head: 2-1 Bencic
The day’s showpiece game as the #2 seeded Bencic plays in front of her home Swiss fans. In truth, it’s been an up and down year for the Olympic champion. On one hand she won the WTA500 event in Charleston on clay in April and was a semi-finalist in Miami. On the other, she bowed out of Wimbledon in the first round and had to retire from the Berlin Open final due to injury. She will be the favourite here, but Martic has looked in supreme form this week, dropping just ten games in her two sets so far. The Croatian is a considerably better player than her ranking of #85 would suggest, and an upset is hardly out of the question. Nonetheless, I would pick Bencic to edge a tight contest.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
