It’s the fourth day at the WTA tournament in Bogota. Though there are fewer high-ranked players than a usual 250, the matches promise to be enthralling with both veterans of the game and newcomers alike looking to claim the title this week. As always at LWOT, we’ve tried to predict the outcomes of these interesting matches.
WTA Bogota Day 4 Predictions
Sinja Kraus vs Nuria Brancaccio
Head-to-head: First meeting
Two relatively new players, both Sinja Kraus and Nuria Brancaccio prefer the red dirt under their feet. It’s the Italian that’s made some of the bigger scalps on the tour however, defeating top 100 players Tatjana Maria and Laura Pigossi last year.
It’s not all about the wins though as how Sinja Kraus has lose has often been quite telling. Close matches against Donna Vekic, Marie Bouzkova and Arantxa Rus on clay–without winning many service points–suggests Kraus is a grinder, capable of holding her own with some of the best as the conditions get slower. These courts award steady play as the balls fly through the air but slows on contact–Kraus seems the more likely of the two to hold her own.
Prediction: Kraus in 3.
Mirjam Bjorklund vs Tamara Zidansek
Head-to-head: Bjorklund 1-0 Zidansek
Let’s stop underrating Mirjam Bjorklund. Though the Swede hasn’t made much of a dent on the tour over the past few seasons, she’s turned up in 2023 with a game ready to contest some of the game’s hardiest players. Deciding set wins against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Alycia Parks, Jasmine Paolini, Ysaline Bonaventure and Elise Mertens (in the previous round) suggest that anything she’s missing in firepower, she makes up for with pure grit.
Bjorklund won her last meeting in Miami qualifying against Tamara Zidansek. Though the surface is more comfortable for the Slovenian, the transition didn’t do much for her confidence last year. Regardless of how difficult it gets, Bjorklund’s contrasting abundance of confidence can’t go unnoticed.
Prediction: Bjorklund in 3.
Peyton Stearns vs Elina Avanesyan
Head-to-head: First meeting
Elina Avanesyan defeated Sara Errani 6-1 6-0 in the previous round but that’s not a particularly telling win, the world #150 possessing some firepower but nothing overwhelming. Still, it’s pretty difficult to break her down and that could be all that’s needed in Bogota, her quarterfinal run last year only being stopped by the un-break-down-able Camila Osorio.
It’s a question of how Peyton Stearns matches up to the conditions. Her last match was actually authoritative yet steady against qualifier Rosa Vicens Mas but Avanesyan will probably make more balls. It’ll probably be very close given Stearns’ ball should travel quite quickly at high altitude but it feels safer to back the steadier of the two.
Prediction: Ananesyan in 3.
Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Emiliana Arango
Head-to-head: First meeting
Question marks have been dispelled already in Sara Sorribes Tormo‘s return. A 6-0 6-4 win over Aliona Bolsova (who’s beaten some good players in her time) showed the Spaniard has hit the ground running with her gritty, high-margin tennis.
Emiliana Arango has taken her annual wild-card into the main draw here in Bogota but it looks unlikely she makes it through to the next round. Sorribes Tormo should be great in these conditions–we’ll give her a grace period in the one of the sets due to the comeback but she should come through here in straights.
Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in 2.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
