The quarterfinals are set at the WTA Morocco Open in Rabat, and the lineup is quite strong with no clear favorites from here on. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro is the highest remaining seed and will take on Petra Marcinko. As always, we at LWOT will offer predictions for all the quarterfinal matches, but which players will advance to the semifinals?
WTA Rabat Quarterfinal Predictions
Jil Teichmann vs Yasmine Kabbaj
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Wild card Yasmine Kabbaj followed her first-ever Tour-level win with an even more impressive upset against Tatjana Maria in the second round. It has already been a huge week for the Moroccan player, and she can go into the quarterfinal full of confidence and with the crowd behind her all the way. Jil Teichmann is trying to get back to where she once was and has played two solid matches this week. She has much more experience than Kabbaj, but it won’t be an easy match. Teichmann must stay proactive and mentally strong to win this.
Prediction: Teichmann in 3
Camila Osorio vs Panna Udvardy
Head-to-Head: Osorio 2-0 Udvardy
Last year’s semifinalist Camila Osorio advanced to the quarterfinals by taking down top seed Janice Tjen in three sets. Osorio lost some concentration in the second set and made a lot of errors, which gave Tjen a chance to get back into the match, but the Colombian dialled back in the third set and handed a bagel. If she can cut down her errors even more, I have her reaching the semifinals once again.
Prediction: Osorio in 3
Anna Bondar vs Anhelina Kalinina
Head-to-Head: Bondar 1-2 Kalinina
Anna Bondar bageled her second round opponent, Emiliana Arango, in the third set to advance to her second Morocco Open quarterfinal. This is Bondar’s third Tour-level quarterfinal of the season and second on the dirt. This season, Anhelina Kalinina has won numerous matches on clay, primarily at the 125 level, but those victories and titles have been very beneficial. I won’t be shocked if she wins her maiden WTA title this week because she is playing excellent tennis.
Prediction: Kalinina in 3
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro vs Petra Marcinko
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro survived a stern test against Fiona Ferro in the second round. She looked far from her best in the first half of the match, but found her game in time to win the second set tiebreak. The Spaniard’s serve has been vulnerable in recent times, and Petra Marcinko, who has done a great job of converting break points, will be looking to take advantage. Maneiro is the higher-ranked player, but I am expecting a very close match here. My pick would be the Croatian.
Prediction: Marcinko in 3
Main Photo Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
