The WTA Stuttgart tournament rolls into the quarterfinals. This Friday should be a really fun day of tennis. A lot of WTA big names are on the schedule, vying for a spot in the semifinals and the chance to claim a clay title heading into Madrid. Fans like underdog stories, but they really want to see the stars near the end of a tournament. They are getting what they want in Germany. Let’s now look at the Friday quarterfinal matches.
WTA Stuttgart
Noskova – Svitolina: Time 6:30 EST
H2H: 2-0
Linda Noskova and Elina Svitolina are both among the 15 best players on the WTA Tour. This is exactly what a WTA quarterfinal should look like. Both players enter in solid form, having won their Round of 16 matches in straight sets. Noskova blew out Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No. 8 seed, while Svitolina did the same to Eva Lys. Which player will maintain momentum on Friday?
Best Bet to Make
On paper, Noskova beating Alexandrova – a top-20 player – looks better than Svitolina’s blowout out of Lys, who is ranked lower than Alexandrova. However, Lys is from Germany and had a home crowd supporting her. Alexandrova was also struggling badly going into that match, so maybe the difference between those two results isn’t as large as one might think. Either way, Noskova seems locked in right now. She might not win the match, but she should be able to keep this one close. That’s the strategy I would use to earn a decent payout.
That being said, Noskova +2.5 games is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Noskova +2.5 games @1.92 @Betsson
Muchova – Gauff: Time 8:00 EST
H2H: 0-6
Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff are two of the top seven seeds in Stuttgart. They meet in a big-name quarterfinal on Friday. Gauff, as you can see, leads the head-to-head 6-0, but it’s worth noting that all of those meetings have been on hardcourt surfaces. This will be the first clay matchup between the two. Muchova needed three sets to beat Elise Mertens in the previous round, while Gauff trailed Liudmila Samsonova 5-4 in the first set with the Russian serving for the first set. Gauff was able to break serve, take the first set, and then dominate in the second set. Neither player is playing her best right now, which adds to the drama.
Best Bet to Make
The play here is to bet on Muchova keeping the match close. It’s true that Gauff is 6-0 head to head, but a Gauff moneyline bet won’t get an amazing return. It just won’t. The match being on clay and in Europe should give Muchova more of a comfort zone. Maybe not enough to win, but certainly enough to keep the match tight. Gauff will probably win, but she also won’t win a blowout. This could be 7-6, 6-4. Hell, Muchova even pushed Gauff to a third set for the first time in this rivalry earlier this year at the WTA Australian Open. Shhh, don’t mention WTA Miami.
That being said, Muchova keeping the match close (+3.5 games) is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Muchova +3.5 games @2.05 @Betway
Rybakina – Fernández: Time 12:30 EST
H2H: 2-2
Elena Rybakina won her Round of 16 match very easily, in straight sets over Diana Shnaider. It was a smooth first match for Rybakina’s Stuttgart tournament and her overall clay season. Leylah Fernandez played the most dramatic match of the day on Thursday, coming back from a set down and then a break in the third set to beat Zeynep Sonmez. Fernandez was down 2-1 in the third set with her Turkish opponent serving, but she battled back and won a 7-5 tiebreaker.
Best Bet to Make
The smart bet here is on Rybakina. Fernandez played a very long and late match on Thursday and won’t have much time to turn around for Friday. Rybakina won her Thursday match easily and got off the court relatively quickly. Fernandez will be tired, and she is not playing at a high enough level to beat the top seed and World No. 2. Expect Rybakina to win fairly convincingly, as Fernandez just isn’t that type of player right now.
That being said, Rybakina winning -5.5 games is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Rybakina -5.5 games @1.90 @bwin
Swiatek – Andreeva: Time 11:00 EST
H2H: 1-2
Iga Swiatek versus Mirra Andreeva is a matchup of the No. 3 and 6 seeds in this tournament. It’s the best of the four quarterfinals on Friday, a true showcase that will gain a lot of deserved attention. Swiatek hasn’t been in good form this year, causing her to drop to No. 4 in the world rankings. However, clay is her best surface, and that gives her hope that she can regroup and make a new push for a higher ranking. Andreeva had been struggling until last week, when she won Linz. She has now won six matches in a row and is growing in confidence.
Best Bet to Make
The smart bettor goes with Swiatek. Andreeva is playing winning tennis, but not against extremely tough competition. She did well to win Linz, but that was not a loaded field. Swiatek has struggled, but clay is where she is comfortable. Trusting Swiatek’s comfort level matters more than thinking Andreeva’s six-match win streak against ordinary competition is a sign that she’s ready to beat elite opponents. Swiatek to win the match in straight sets Go for it. .
That being said, Swiatek winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Swiatek winning 2:0 @2.25 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta-Imagn Images
