There are two superb WTA Ningbo quarterfinals for fans to enjoy. Teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva will face Karolina Muchova, while Paula Badsa is set to battle Daria Kasatkina. As always, we at LWOT give our predictions and analysis for both matches, but which players do you think will reach the final?
WTA Ningbo Semifinal Predictions
Paula Badosa vs Daria Kasatkina
Head-to-head: Badosa 2-2 Kasatkina
Kasatkina has battled through to the semifinal in characteristic style. After fighting back from a set down in the round of 16, she defeated Yulia Putintseva 6-4 1-6 7-6 after a titanic battle. Badosa also had to work hard to reach this stage, recovering from a set down against Diana Shnaider and Xiyu Wang before beating Beatriz Haddad Maia more comfortably in the last round.
The conditions in Ningbo are slow due to the humidity. Although Badosa possesses the greater firepower by far, the court’s lack of pace might suit the Spaniard more. The 26-year-old can be devastating when she has time on her groundstrokes. Kasatkina is one of the best athletes and defensive players in the sport, but her lack of firepower means the ball will routinely sit up for Badosa. The Russian’s vulnerable second serve could also be routinely punished throughout this contest.
Prediction: Badosa in 2
Mirra Andreeva vs Karolina Muchova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Andreeva is the only semifinalist to not drop a set so far during the tournament, recovering impressively after losing to her sister Erika last week in Wuhan. Muchova needed to come back from a set down to overcome Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinal.
The Czech will try to avoid regularly getting into backhand-to-backhand rallies since that is the one area of Andreeva’s game that is considerably superior. However, Muchova should be confident that her better forehand and overall variety give her the edge. Although Andreeva is a great athlete, Muchova’s excellent drop should be effective since she is not as comfortable being up at the net. The Czech is backed to reach the final, but do not be surprised if this is a tight battle.
Prediction: Muchova in 3
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch – USA TODAY Sports
