The quarterfinal lineup is set at the Palermo Open with three of the top four seeds still going strong. The defending champion, Qinwen Zheng, is looking to make it to back-to-back titles while the rest of the players try to deny her and get their hands on the trophy. As always, we here at LWOT will offer our predictions for every match on the slate. But who will advance to the semifinals?
WTA Palermo Quarterfinal Predictions
Irina-Camelia Begu vs Ann Li
Head=to-Head: Begu 0-1 Li
Irina-Camelia Begu has been flawless this week and is yet to lose a set. Begu is now at an 8-4 win-loss record this year and all of them have come on clay due to her season starting late. She has a strong history at the Palermo Open, winning the tournament in 2022. Ann Li has played two tough opponents this week and got through both of them brilliantly in deciding sets. She has shown remarkable resilience so far and might need that again against Begu. This should be a close match and I expect the experience of the Romanian to get her over the line.
Prediction: Begu in 3
Diane Parry vs Chloe Paquet
Head-to-Head: Parry 0-1 Paquet
Diane Parry won a tight second-round match against Jil Teichmann and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Palermo Open for the second time. Parry is having her best season on tour and improving with every match. Chloe Paquet comfortably defeated her second-round opponent as she managed to break serve six times. Paquet’s recent consistency on clay suggests she is well-suited to the conditions in Palermo. A win against Parry will be big for Paquet but it’s hard to see that happening.
Prediction: Parry in 3
Karolina Muchova vs Astra Sharma
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Karolina Muchova faced a tough contest against Noma Noha Akugue. Noha Akugue played great for a large part of that match but Muchova kept her cool even after losing the first set. Muchova is still regaining her form and is getting better with every match. She wasn’t moving well and it looked like her thigh was bothering her. Astra Sharma backed her first-round win with another brilliant performance against Ajla Tomljanovic. It was an even match for two sets but Sharma dominated the third set with her powerful shotamking. Muchova is the favourite to win this match but if she is hampered then Sharma is good enough to take advantage of it.
Prediction: Muchova in 3
Qinwen Zheng vs Jaqueline Cristian
Head-to-Head: Zheng 0-1 Cristian
Jaqueline Cristian has been dominant this week and is yet to lose more than three games in a set. Cristian has had a solid year with multiple wins in big tournaments on clay. She has beaten Zheng before at the Palermo Open in 2021 and will take that confidence heading into this match. Qinwen Zheng has displayed excellent serving in her matches this week and will need more of the same in the next match. The Palermo Open title last year was a significant highlight for the Chinese player and it will be interesting to see if she can maintain her high level or not under pressure. Cristian will be the toughest opponent for Zheng and I expect her to raise her level even more.
Prediction: Zheng in 3
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
