Just eight women remain at the WTA Hobart International. It is quite an open field this week as each player sets sights on walking to Melbourne with a trophy. Who will reach the semifinal in Tasmania’s capital?
WTA Hobart Quarterfinal Predictions
Bernarda Pera vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Head-to-head: Pera 2-0 Cocciaretto
The new wave of Italian talent is one to keep an eye on. Cocciaretto and Bronzetti are motoring the WTA ladder. For Cocciaretto’s case, this is her fourth WTA quarterfinal–a meaningful reward for her 2022 late-season surge. She is no longer a liability outside clay courts after her stellar run in Tampico, Mexico, last October where she defeated the likes of Bouzkova, Camila Osorio, and Magda Linette to win the biggest title of her career. Bernarda Pera has looked far from convincing to start the year, but she eked out a very good win over Laura Siegemund in the last round. But it would be harsh to pick against the young Italian in the kind form she is in.
Prediction: Cocciaretto in 3
Anhelina Kalinina vs Sofia Kenin
Head-to-head: Kalinina 2-2 Kenin
Kalinina and Kenin have played four times before this, but none of their matches were at Tour level. In fact, Kalinina won their duel at 125K level towards the end of 2022 in Angers, France. It has taken the Ukrainian quite a while to transition from the ITF Tour, but she is now a full-fledged top-level WTA player.
Kenin, for her part, is eyeing a return to prominence. She can only do that by winning tennis matches. Her 2020 success is looking more like a flash-in-the-pan story, but she is still so young to be written off from Grand Slam contention in the future. However, right now, Kalinina’s career is on an upward trajectory.
Prediction: Kalinina in 3
Lauren Davis vs Xinyu Wang
Head-to-head: first meeting
Davis is the favorite on paper and she has unfinished business in Hobart. 10 years ago she reached the quarterfinals as a qualifier at only 19. She was back at this stage in 2020, losing to Zhang Shuai during the last staging of the event before the pandemic. The American has another Chinese opponent standing between her and a semifinal place in Tasmania. Could the third time be the charm? Judging by her performances this week, Davis is hitting the ball crisply and with a lot more zest. Her movement compensates for her weak serve. I like her chances here.
Prediction: Davis in 3
Yulia Putintseva vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: Putintseva 1-0 Blinkova
Putintseva is the only remaining seed in the top half of the draw. And it’s not like Hobart is an even playing field this week. There was a former Grand Slam champion in the draw, a current world #26, and a seven-time Tour-level titlist. But none of Sloane Stephens, Marie Bouzkova, and Elise Mertens survived the onslaught.
Blinkova accounted for one upset, beating Bouzkova in straight sets on Wednesday. Since winning Cluj-Napoca as a qualifier late last year, Blinkova’s confidence has skyrocketed. It’s almost as if she can beat anybody when she steps on the court. She has now won 16 of her last 20 matches (including at WTA 125K level) and should be fancied to overcome the inconsistent Kazakh.
Prediction: Blinkova in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
