Quarterfinal action is set at the WTA 250 event in Austin, featuring multiple top seeds and two home Americans. As a warm-up tournament for the significant BNP Paribas Open, all players are looking towards a possible title this week. Who will win?
WTA Austin Quarterfinal Predictions
Yue Yuan vs Wang Yafan
Head-to-head: First meeting
Neither player has faced off against one another, but both players are stars from China who look to push back into the Top 50 this season. Yafan has seen success in her last two tournaments – she reached her first Grand Slam third round in Melbourne and lost in the semifinals of Hua Hin. Yuan, who comes in as the slightly higher seed, is 1-3 since the Australian Open, but she also has had a solid season. Wang hasn’t dropped a set this week and has made more WTA tour-level semifinals than her opponent.
Predictions: Wang in 3
Danielle Collins vs Wang Xiyu
Head-to-head: Collins 1-0
The pair faced off in a thrilling first round at the 2021 French Open, where Collins won 6-4 in the third. Collins should thrive off the home crowd support this week, but Xiyu is a force to be reckoned with when on her top game. Xiyu won 6-1 6-2 in her second-round match, while Collins survived a major scare against Katie Volynets, clawing back after Volynets served for the match. A toss-up, but I’ll take Collins to win in a close one.
Prediction: Collins in 3
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs Anastasia Sevastova
Head-to-head: Sevastova 4-0
In what should be a fun battle, both players are rising the ranks after struggles with form, respectively. The pair hasn’t played in over four years. Schmiedlova claimed a big win in three sets under the Thursday night lights, while Sevastova took out Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2 on Thursday; it was deja vu after she stunned Stephens at the 2018 US Open by nearly the same scoreline. Sevastova has a frustrating level of consistency that I feel will cause Schmiedlova to falter in the later stages.
Prediction: Sevastova in 3
Anhelina Kalinina vs Diane Parry
Head-to-head: Parry 1-0
Parry brings a satisfying style of tennis to the court in her matches, and it’ll be fascinating to see how her tricky slices and skill fare against the top seed Kalinina. Kalinina has only dropped six games this tournament and will be hungry for a first WTA career title. Parry did take out Kalinina, then a seed, at the 2023 French Open en route to a surprising third-round run. Look for Parry to put pressure on the Ukranian, but the top seed should move through.
Prediction: Kalinina in 2
Main Photo Credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK
