It promises to be an entertaining day of semifinal action at the WTA San Diego Open with two intriguing matches on the slate. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for both matches, as well as the action in Austin, but who will secure their spot in Sunday’s final in California?
WTA San Diego Semifinal Predictions
Emma Navarro vs Katie Boulter
Head-to-head: first meeting
A huge opportunity for both to reach the final at a WTA 500 event. Katie Boulter has worked hard to establish herself as a regular at this level and is having one of her better weeks, having opened her account at the WTA San Diego Open with a comprehensive win over Lesia Tsurenko before upsetting Beatriz Haddad Maia and Donna Vekic. She has dropped just one set so far en route to the last four and will surely be full of confidence.
She will need to maintain that level against Emma Navarro, with the American in fine fettle herself. Navarro, after a first-round bye, began her campaign with a see-sawing three-set win over Katerina Siniakova, before delivering a more clinical performance to beat Daria Saville 6-4 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Boulter will likely offer more resistance than the Australian, but Navarro is the better equipped to control this match from the baseline and should have enough to reach the final.
Prediction: Navarro in 3
Jessica Pegula vs Marta Kostyuk
Head-to-head: Pegula 2-0 Kostyuk
Marta Kostyuk may not have fond memories of her last meeting with Jessica Pegula in the third round at last year’s Australian Open. The American won at a canter for the loss of only two games, but Kostyuk has been playing well enough this week to suggest that things won’t be so straightforward for Pegula. Kostyuk started her week by battling past Ann Li and she backed that win up with victories over Taylah Preston and Anastasia Pavyluchenkova, rallying from a set down to beat the Russian.
Pegula, meanwhile, enjoyed a first-round bye as the top seed at the WTA San Diego Open. She then got her campaign off to an excellent start by brushing aside Jule Niemeier 6-0 6-4, though she did have to work harder to beat Anna Blinkova 6-1 2-6 6-2. This match may also go the distance, but it is hard to see Kostyuk coming out on top. Pegula has the more complete game and is the higher-ranked player for a reason.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
