It’s quarterfinal day at the WTA Thailand Open in Hua Hin. We have four intriguing matches on the schedule, with the big one featuring top seed Bianca Andreescu taking on fifth seed Marta Kostyuk. Who will reach the semifinals?
WTA Hua Hin Quarterfinal Predictions
Xinyu Wang vs Heather Watson
Head-to-head: first meeting
Watson’s run has been positive and encouraging as she starts the long road to re-enter the top 100. It will be a tedious road with many speedbumps. And it is up to the Briton how she reacts to setbacks. She has played on the back foot in Hua Hin most of the time and has impressed particularly in that win over Yulia Putintseva. However, Xinyu Wang is a tidy baseliner. She produced an eye-catching cameo against Maria Sharapova a few years ago in Shenzhen and drew glowing praise from the Russian former world #1. She hasn’t reached her ceiling yet, but she has all the tools to excel on the main tour. If Watson keeps giving away sets on a tea tray, she is unlikely to get a route back into the match here.
Prediction: Wang in 2
Tamara Zidansek vs Zhu Lin
Head-to-head: first meeting
It’s taken Zidansek a while to emulate the thrills of her 2021 season. But this week, she might be on the cusp of producing something special. Her win over Linda Fruhvirtova has garnered everyone’s attention. Her ball striking was on a different level, firing over 40 winners. Zhu Lin is an excellent counterpuncher – not dissimilar to Zidansek. The Chinese woman showcased her defensive mastery at the Australian Open where she upset Maria Sakkari. This match will be on a knife edge. But if the Slovenian can keep up the high-intensity hitting from the baseline, she is going to be very difficult to contain.
Prediction: Zidansek in 3
Tatjana Maria vs Lesia Tsurenko
Head-to-head: Maria 1-1 Tsurenko
Two seasoned veterans will clash on Friday, but it is 35-year-old Tatjana Maria who is enjoying a productive spell on the court. Last week she bagged the W40 ITF title in India without dropping a set. And she hasn’t put a foot wrong in Hua Hin. On Thursday she tore Dayana Yastremska to shreds with her magical slice. Patience is key for Tsurenko against an astute player like Maria. She does not need to rush her shots, because that will eventually play into Maria’s hands. The Ukrainian’s mental clarity and ground stroke accuracy could be the perfect riposte to the German’s slice-and-dice style of play. Tsurenko has an equal shot of winning this match.
Prediction: Tsurenko in 3
Bianca Andreescu vs Marta Kostyuk
Head-to-head: first meeting
Bianca Andreescu is clearly loving life in Thailand judging by her social media presence. She looks dialed in this week, tallying wins over Harriet Dart and Anastasia Zakharova to reach her first WTA quarterfinal since Bad Homburg last summer. Marta Kostyuk, for her part, beat jet lag and two determined opponents to advance into her second quarterfinal of the season. Kostyuk has been sucked into a lot of cat-and-mouse games this week and barely surviving. Her mental fragility could cost her against a resurgent Andreescu.
Prediction: Andreescu in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
