Day 7 at the WTA 1000 event in Rome will feature all of the eight round of 16 matches, with an absolutely star studded lineup featuring current and former top player and Grand Slam champions. Some of the biggest headliners of the day will be Aryna Sabalenka, who is fresh off a heartbreaking loss in the Madrid final, and Coco Gauff, looking to round into form ahead of Roland Garros. This article contains four matches, and we also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Rome Day 7 Predictions
Danielle Collins vs Irina-Camelia Begu
Head-to-head: Collins 1-0 Begu
Collins has been having an oustanding season, depsite being unlucky to draw Iga Swiatek early in Indian Wells and the Australian Open. She won the title in Miami and already has a title this clay season in Charleston. In Madrid, she narrowly lost to Sabalenka and she is once again playing quite well here in Rome and should be able to at least make it to the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Collins in 2
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka
Head-to-head: Azarenka 2-0 Sakkari
Neither player is having the 2024 they were expecting, even if Sakkari reached the final at Indian Wells. So far here in Rome, though, Sakkari has been looking better, with Azarenka struggling a lot to make it past each of her first two opponents. It seems like the perfect chance for Sakkari to finally get a win in this matchup.
Prediction: Sakkari in 3
Elina Svitolina vs Aryna Sabalenka
Head-to-head: Sabalenka 2-1 Svitolina
Sabalenka had an absolutely heartbreaking loss to Iga Swiatek in the Madrid final, but she is a clear #2 in the world and always one of the favorites in the biggest events. She has shown to be very comfortable on clay and actually beat Svitolina 6-4 6-4 in last year’s Roland Garros quarterfinals. A similar kind of score is to be expected here, with Sabalenka clearly a cut above.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Coco Gauff vs Paula Badosa
Head-to-head: Badosa 3-1 Gauff
Badosa has been in free fall for quite some time, while Gauff’s career has been going in the opposite direction, with a first Slam title at the US Open and #3 in the rankings. She is one of the favorites for Roland Garros, where she was a finalist in 2022, but hasn’t really been impressive so far this clay season. Rome is her last opportunity to gain some momentum ahead of Roland Garros and she should take advantage of it.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
