It’s been an interesting WTA tournament at Hobart, to say the least. None of our seeded players are left going into the semifinal round, and the remaining matches are no easier to predetermine. As always though, we’ll give some predictions a shot at LWOS, trying to pick between former Australian Open champ Sofia Kenin versus Elisabetta Cocciaretto and the diminutive Lauren Davis versus Anna Blinkova.
WTA Hobart Semifinal Predictions
Lauren Davis vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: Blinkova 1-0 Davis (at all levels)
That’s ten sets played in Hobart, ten sets won for Lauren Davis. The American has been returning like a dream this week having broken serve 61% of the time. It’s not like she’s been playing poor servers either, dispatching Stephens and Bonaventure with the same ease as the rest of her victims.
That’s ten sets played in Hobart, ten sets won for Anna Blinkova. She hasn’t been quite as clinical as Davis but her return numbers have still been great, her big-hitting performance against Marie Bouzkova particularly encouraging.
Something’s got to give–it’s a very close call but we’ll give the slight edge to Blinkova. The win against Bouzkova was so assured, a masterclass in how to finish the point when the ball is repeatedly sent back to the baseline. Blinkova should also punish Davis’ serve more so than her other opponents. Davis is playing well enough to keep it close but we’re backing Blinkova by a whisker.
Prediction: Blinkova in 3
Sofia Kenin vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Head-to-head: First meeting.
This could be very interesting. Last year, Sofia Kenin won four of the 17 tour-level matches she played throughout the season. All of a sudden, she’s matched her tally of four wins in no more than five matches, her quarterfinal win over world #40 Anhelina Kalinina without a doubt the most significant of the lot.
Should Elisabetta Cocciaretto be worried? Kenin is definitely playing better than 2022 but it seems like a small step rather than a massive one. She was still a little ropey when her serve was put back into play against Kalinina and the stakes only get higher the deeper into the tournament she gets–any mental block will only be exemplified. Cocciaretto is playing fantastically well herself and rarely seems to be overawed by any occasion, playing well even when she lost at the tail end of last season. The Italian seems the more likely of the two to raise her level.
Prediction: Cocciaretto in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
