There will be plenty of intrigue on day three at the WTA Rabat event with quarterfinal berths are at stake. But who will secure their spot in the last eight in Morocco and generate some crucial momentum ahead of the French Open?
WTA Rabat Day 3 Predictions
Jaqueline Cristian vs Aliona Bolsova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Jaqueline Cristian easily won her first-round match against Yelyzaveta Kotliar and will be looking to take the momentum into the second round. Cristian has a positive win-loss record this season but hasn’t made a quarterfinal yet. This is an excellent opportunity for her to do so against a considerably lower-ranked opponent in the form of Aliona Bolsova, who got a huge win against Katerina Siniakova, but it would be tough to pull another upset.
Prediction: Cristian in 3
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Zeynep Sonmez vs Anastasija Sevastova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Zeynep Sonmez played the best match of her season to eliminate 2023 champion Lucia Bronzetti. Other than the double faults, it was a flawless performance from the Turkish player and will provide a lot of confidence. Anastasija Sevastova continues her comeback journey with a comeback win against Yasmine Kabbaj. It was not a great performance from Sevastova, and she must improve significantly to have any chance of beating Sonmez.
Prediction: Sonmez in 3
Katie Volynets vs Maya Joint
Head-to-head: first meeting
Katie Volynets is off to a winning start in her Morocco Open debut. The first set was close, but Volynets completely took over the second set and bagelled Carolina Alves. Volynets has never reached a tour-level quarterfinal on clay, making this second-round match extremely important. 19-year-old Maya Joint would be a much tougher opponent, but she is still finding her feet on this surface and is not as good on it as she is on a hard court.
Prediction: Volynets in 3
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Ann Li vs Hailey Baptiste
Head-to-head: first meeting
This should be a fascinating encounter between two compatriots and could be one of the matches of the week. Ann Li has found it difficult to be consistent on clay, and it was evident in her first-round performance against Maria Timofeeva. Despite winning in straight sets, Li was broken four times. She can’t afford to be passive against Hailey Baptiste, who has a better record on clay and can take the match away in an instant with her aggressive game. If Baptiste can manage her double faults, she will win this.
Prediction: Baptiste in 3
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
