The clay-court swing is well-underway with the stage now set for the second week at the WTA Madrid Open. Day seven in Madrid will feature all eight round-of-16 matches and, as ever, we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for every match on the schedule in the Spanish capital. But who will secure their spot in the quarterfinals? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Madrid Day 7 Predictions
Elise Mertens vs Mayar Sherif
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Elise Mertens and Mayar Sherif will square off for the first time in the round of 16 in Madrid. Mertens is a formidable clay-court player and easily won both of her matches this week. Sherif also prefers the surface and is coming off the biggest win of her career against world #5 Caroline Garcia. Both women are playing confidently and should produce high-quality tennis in Madrid on Monday. In what should be a back-and-forth match, I trust Mertens to raise her level when it matters most.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
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Aryna Sabalenka vs Mirra Andreeva
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Mirra Andreeva has been nothing short of outstanding this week in Madrid. The 15-year-old received a wildcard entry into the event after winning 11 consecutive matches over the last two weeks. In three matches in Madrid, Andreeva has beaten Leylah Fernandez, Beatriz Haadad Maia, and Magda Linette without dropping a set. Before this week, she had never beaten a top 100 player. She now has three wins against top 50 opposition. However, playing against world #2 Aryna Sabalenka provides a new challenge. Sabaleka is playing with too much confidence to fall short in this encounter. The altitude will help her win easy points, and she should be able to raise her level when it matters most.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
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Barbora Krejcikova vs Petra Martic
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Barbora Krejcikova and Petra Martic will square off for the first time with a spot in the Madrid quarterfinals on the line. Krejcikova, after a difficult few years following her French Open triumph, has been impressed so far this season and is currently sixth in the WTA Race. Crucially, she has been much the better of this pair. Martic has always been a strong clay-court player and her versatility should enable her to keep Krejcikova from settling into too comfortable of a rhythm, but expect the Czech to be too solid from the ground for the Croatian in the end.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 2
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Daria Kasatkina vs Veronika Kudermetova
Head-to-Head: Kasatkina 2-0 Kudermetova
We are in store for a top-15 matchup in Madrid when Daria Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova face off on Monday. Kasatkina rolls into this match having yet to drop a set this week. Kudermetova, on the other hand, has played two gruelling three-set matches. Kudermetova has benefitted from the altitude this week, getting more reward for her aggressive shot-making, though the ball has flown on her at times, and that should help her cause against Kasatkina. But Kasatkina has simply been the better player so far in Madrid and her gritty defence should draw enough unforced errors from her compatriot’s racket to secure her spot in the last eight.
Prediction: Kasatkina in 3
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
