Tuesday’s first set of WTA quarterfinal matches in Miami are locked in with plenty of firepower. Elena Rybakina is one of the hottest players on the WTA tour and is just three matches away from completing the sunshine double. She takes on surprise quarterfinalist Martina Trevisan who is into her first career quarterfinal at a WTA 1000 event. The second quarterfinal of the day features top American Jessica Pegula taking on the young Russian Anastasia Potapova. The first semifinal will be set Tuesday in Miami with plenty of starpower on display!
WTA Miami Quarterfinal Predictions
Jessica Pegula vs Anastasia Potapova
Head-to-head: 3-0 Pegula
This is a rematch from the third round of Indian Wells where Pegula came back after losing the first set to win in a close 7-5 third set. Both players seem to be in top form and have each beaten two seeded players en route to the quarters. Potapova has the biggest win with her victory over #6 seed Coco Gauff, while Pegula has been dominant, winning all six sets played in Miami, half of those by a score of 6-1. While Pegula will have the crowd on her side, Potapova was unfazed when knocking out Gauff in a nearly three hour battle in front of a hostile crowd. Potapova is trying to build on momentum from her first title in Linz earlier in the year.
While both players are in good form, one thing that stands out in Pegula’s favor is her quality of losses. She has yet to lose to a player outside the top-30 since August of last year, and while Potapova has earned a high rank, she lacks some quality wins. She has won plenty of matches but does not have a strong record against elite players, with her win over Gauff just her second career hard court win over a top-10 player. Each player moves well but the difference will be Pegula’s strength and power. Potapova will have trouble hitting through her on the slower courts, giving Pegula time to place powerful groundstrokes that will be difficult to defend. If Potapova can force Pegula into errors, she will certainly have a chance at the upset and will not go down easily, but this one will go in Pegula’s favor.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
Elena Rybakina vs Martina Trevisan
Head-to-head: First meeting
These two quarterfinalist came into Miami on almost polar opposite trajectories. Trevisan had lost five straight matches beginning the year, all by straight sets and got her first WTA fin of the year in Indian Wells before losing in the second round. Rybakina looked nearly unbeatable last week in Indian Wells and the Australian Open finalist seems to be the player to beat on hard courts. She has looked a bit shaky here dropping two sets in her three matches but has returned well and relied on her power to get past opponents. Trevisan had some good fortune with Swiatek pulling out of her quarter but scored an impressive win over Jelena Ostapenko last round.
Trevisan had the crowd on her side last round and it affected her opponent Ostapenko based on comments post-match. That will not be the case here as Rybakina is one of the most unflappable players on tour. Trevisan has had most of her career success on clay as a small baseliner who can grind out points. Rybakina is a nightmare matchup because even with Trevisan’s movement Rybakina can hit past her and avoid the long rallies. Rybakina is simply at the top of her game right now and Trevisan does not match up well enough to throw her off so this match will be one sided and quick.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
