We are now down to the final 16 competitors for the WTA Rome title, can anyone stop the rampaging Iga Swiatek from winning her third Italian Open in a row? As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. Who do you think will make the quarterfinals?
WTA Rome Day 7 Predictions
Madison Keys vs Anhelina Kalinina
Head-to-head: Kalinina 2-0 Keys
Looking to avenge her first-round loss to the Ukrainian here from last year. Keys, a Rome finalist in 2016, beat Magdalena Frech in her opener 6-3 6-2 and received a walkover in the third round. Kalinina, who also beat Keys in Miami last year, has struggled to get going since Dubai. The 26-year-old came into Rome with a four-loss streak but has performed very well, dropping just four games to Anna Blinkova before ousting Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-2. On current form and their previous matches, Kalinina is the favorite.
Prediction: Kalinina in 2
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Zheng Qinwen vs Wang Xiyu
Head-to-head: Zheng 1-0 Wang
A rematch of last year’s Valencia final, which Zheng won in a three-setter, two under-23 Chinese players face off for a spot in the Rome quarterfinals. Zheng has been up and down this year, beating Jelena Ostapenko and Daria Kasatkina to reach the Abu Dhabi semifinals being her highlight. In Rome, Zheng beat Alize Cornet and Anna Bondar in straight sets, the latter match finishing in heavy rain with Bondar slipping while trying to return on match point. Wang struggled through the first quarter of 2023 filled with hard courts, failing to win back-to-back matches. The 22-year-old started to show some confidence in Madrid, beating Varvara Gracheva and Bianca Andreescu to reach the third round. This week, Wang ousted Lucrezia Stefanini and Irina-Camelia Begu in straights before winning a mad 6-2 0-6 7-5 match over Taylor Townsend. This should be a very interesting match but I will go with Zheng here as she won their previous meeting, also a high-pressure clay match.
Prediction: Zheng in 3
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Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Camila Osorio
Head-to-head: first meeting
World No. 15 Haddad Maia has not managed to quite live up to her ranking with her results, beating Elena Rybakina to reach the semifinals in Abu Dhabi being her best result so far. The Brazilian lost to 15-year-old Mirra Andreeva in Madrid but has found her consistency in Rome, beating Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Magda Linette in straight sets. 21-year-old Camila Osorio is having a brilliant run in Rome, looking to get back to her former heights and beyond. The Colombian started her week in qualifying, dismissing both Deborah Chiesa and Oceane Dodin in straight sets. Osorio won a huge match over Varvara Gracheva in the main draw first round, going all the way to a third-set tiebreak to win 7-6 1-6 7-6. The Colombian then went on to beat experienced clay courter Petra Martic 6-4 6-2 before taking out World No. 4, Caroline Garcia. Osorio has pulled off more impressive wins this season and the conditions clearly suit her here.
Prediction: Osorio in 2
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Elena Rybakina vs Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-head: Vondrousova 1-0 Rybakina
Clay is Rybakina’s weakest surface, so the Kazakh has not been able to yet replicate her hard court success from the first quarter, as she went on to win Indian Wells and reached finals at Miami and the Australian Open. Since making the switch, Rybakina had struggled for rhythm but strings a couple of wins together, Jasmine Paolini, and a seven-game retirement from Anna Kalinskaya. Vondrousova, a semifinalist in Rome back in 2020, is in the midst of rebuilding her ranking and doing a good job so far this year. The Czech first beat Kaia Kanepi in three sets, then allowed Bianca Andreescu just one game, before taking out Maria Sakkari in straight sets. Vondrousova has the momentum and the game to cause Rybakina problems and she has defeated her in Moscow back in 2021 before the Kazakh established herself as a slam contender.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 3
