It promises to be a great day of WTA Cincinnati round of 16 action. Aryna Sabalenka hopes to build on her opening-round victory against Elina Svitolina, who is always tough to play against. That match is one of four predicted in this article. We at LWOT predict the other contests in a separate article, including Iga Swiatek vs Marta Kostyuk. Two of the round of 16 matches are still to be confirmed due to rain on Day 3. We will update both articles to include those matches when they are confirmed.
WTA Cincinnati Day 4 Predictions
Aryna Sabalenka vs Elina Svitolina
Head-to-head: Sabalenka 3-1 Svitolina
Svitolina had match points against Sabalenka in their epic Italian Open round of 16 match, ultimately losing in a deciding set tiebreak. At her best, Sabalenka’s formidable power on a fast hardcourt will overwhelm Svitolina. The Ukrainian will take hope from the Australian Open champion’s patchy recent form. Sabalenka could be playing herself into form for the US Open, though, meaning Svitolina might be meeting her just as she starts to produce some of her best tennis.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Paula Badosa vs Yulia Putintseva
Head-to-head: Badosa 3-1 Putintseva
Putintseva shocked US Open champion Coco Gauff in the last round. She has now beaten the current top 2 players in the WTA rankings this season after overcoming Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon. Despite those successes, Badosa is favored to reach the quarterfinal. Although Putintseva is a great defensive player, she can be overwhelmed by pace, as Jelena Ostapenko showed at Wimbledon. Badosa’s powerful serve and groundstrokes are capable of leaving the Kazakhstani rushed and scrambling. The recent Citi DC Open champion is also in very good form.
Prediction: Badosa in 2
Mirra Andreeva vs Jasmine Paolini
Head-to-head: Andreeva 1-1 Paolini
This is a fascinating matchup. These two split the two matches they played on clay earlier this year. Wimbledon finalist Paolini plays aggressively despite her height, meaning she can succeed in the fast Cincinnati conditions. However, I favor Andreeva slightly more on a fast hardcourt. The extra points her superior serve will get could be the difference. It is also hard to go against Andreeva after her sublime performance against Emma Navarro in the last round.
Prediction: Andreeva in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
