Last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, Jasmine Paolini, was in outstanding form in Team Italy’s 3-0 United Cup triumph against Switzerland. The Italians will confirm their place in the quarterfinals by beating Team France, who lost its opening tie to the Swiss. As always, we at LWOT predict all the action at the United Cup on Day 5, including Coco Gauff vs Donna Vekic. But who will advance?
United Cup Day 5 Predictions
Flavio Cobolli vs Ugo Humbert
Head-to-head: First meeting
Cobolli and Humbert defeated Switzerland’s Dominic Stricker in straight sets in their previous singles matches at this year’s United Cup. This is a tough match to call between two players well-suited to Sydney’s fast conditions. Cobolli has substantially improved on hard courts in the last 12 months, and his powerful forehand could dominate the cross-court rallies into Humbert’s forehand, which is usually an area where the Frenchman is strong. That might prove the difference in this matchup.
Prediction: Cobolli in 3
Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori vs Elixane Lechemia/Edouard Roger-Vasselin
Head-to-head: First meeting
Errani, Vavassori, and Roger-Vasselin are experienced doubles players with distinguished careers. However, 33-year-old Lechemia’s achievements are less impressive than those of the other three players. Her most notable moment was reaching the third round of the 2024 Australian Open in the women’s doubles. Errani and Vavassori gelled impressively against Switzerland and should have enough to triumph again in this matchup.
Prediction: Errani/Vavassori in 2
Jasmine Paolini vs Chloe Paquet
Head-to-head: Paquet 2-0 Paolini
Paquet must play significantly better than her previous match against Belinda Bencic to have any chance of beating Paolini. The Frenchwoman has beaten her twice, but the last of those was in 2019. Paolini is an entirely different player now, and she thrashed Bencic for the loss of just two games in her opening singles contest of the season. The two-time Grand Slam runner-up will win easily against Paquet if she gets near that level again.
Prediction: Paolini in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
