Ahead of the Guangzhou Open semifinals, the four remaining players in the draw can surely almost taste their triumph. But for two, their weeks will end in disappointment on Friday in the semifinals. Who will reach the final?
Guangzhou Open Semifinal Predictions
Samantha Stosur vs Viktorija Golubic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both Samantha Stosur and Viktorija Golubic avenged recent defeats in their quarterfinals. Stosur proved far too strong for Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic, who had bested her in straight-sets last week at the Jiangxi Open, whilst Golubic got the better of home hope Zhang Shuai in three sets in a rematch of their US Open clash in August that the Chinese had won 6-2 6-1. And both will now surely be desperate to continue what has been an unexpected run into the final.
Stosur, despite her long stint as one of the WTA’s leading lights, has endured a difficult season and currently finds herself ranked well outside the top 100, 125 places down on her career-high of world #4. Indeed, she has appeared in just two finals since 2015, winning one. Golubic, meanwhile, is looking for the third final appearance of her career and her first since the Linz Open in October, 2016, where she lost to Dominika Cibulkova in straight-sets.
To win this match Golubic will need to play on the front foot. The Swiss spreads the court effectively off the ground, but when put under pressure she can struggle badly to play on the backfoot. She is particularly susceptible to being rushed off the backhand side. It is surely that wing that Stosur will look to target with her forehand, which she has been hitting with renewed conviction at the Guangzhou Open. If she can bring it into play regularly, it should give her a decisive edge.
Prediction: Stosur in 3
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Sofia Kenin vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Sofia Kenin may be the last seed left standing in the draw, but the young American has worn the tag of favourite lightly so far. She began her campaign with a comprehensive 6-4 6-2 win over Laura Siegemund of Germany, before defeating Ukrainian teenager Katarina Zavatska by the same score to book her place in the quarterfinals. There she proved far too strong for Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini, winning 7-5 6-1, to reach her sixth tour-level semifinal of the year and continue what has been an excellent season.
But she may need to be at her best up against Russian Anna Blinkova, who has played some excellent tennis so far this week. After benefitting from the retirement of her first-round opponent Sara Sorribes Tormo with the Spaniard trailing 6-4 1-6 1-4, Blinkova has not looked back. In the round of 16, she ousted the struggling Aleksandra Krunic before brushing aside Toronto semifinalist Marie Bouzkova 6-3 6-1 to win her eighth match in a row after her victory at the WTA 125k event in New Haven.
But though she has been playing very well of late, there remains a gulf in class between her and Kenin, reflected in the 56 places that divide them in the world rankings. Make no mistake, Blinkova can play and if she is able to regularly get inside in the baseline and dictate, she will have a real chance of winning this match. But Kenin’s depth is typically excellent and the American will give little away from the baseline. That should prove the difference between the pair.
Prediction: Kenin in 3
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