Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty have already booked their places in the last eight at the Adelaide International, with 12 players set to battle it out to join them on day three at Memorial Park Drive in South Australia and we here at LWOT are offering predictions for all six matches. But who will make the quarterfinals and who will fall to defeat?
Adelaide International Day Three Predictions
Aryna Sabalenka vs Bernarda Pera
Head-to-head: Pera 1-0 Sabalenka
Bernarda Pera has enjoyed a fruitful few days so far at the Adelaide International. The American, who is still trying to establish herself as a consistent presence on the WTA Tour, impressed in coming through the qualifying in South Australia, beating Britain’s Katie Boulter before edging out her compatriot Coco Vandeweghe, 7-6 2-6 7-5, to reach the main draw. There, she picked up another impressive win, beating Barbora Strycova 7-6 6-3.
Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, who endured a difficult 2019, saw her Shenzhen Open title defence end in the second round at the hands of Kristyna Pliskova. But she bounced back to see off the often tricky Hsieh Su-wei in her Adelaide International opener, rallying from a set down to win 5-7 6-1 7-5. However, she may not relish the prospect of facing Pera, who won their only previous meeting on the clay courts at the Madrid Open in 2018. That said, on the faster courts in Adelaide, Sabalenka’s greater power should give her a decisive edge.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
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Marketa Vondrousova vs Arina Rodionova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Although Sloane Stephens was far below her best, qualifier Arina Rodionova deserves credit for taking advantage of her opponent’s poor play to record a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 win. However, she seems certain to encounter stiffer resistance when she takes to the court against French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova. The Czech had been out of action since Wimbledon, but nonetheless proved far too strong for Germany’s Tatjana Maria, winning 6-3 6-0.
That win will surely see her approach this match with real confidence about her chances and not without good reason. There are few who return more effectively than Vondrousova, whilst her court-coverage is also impressive. Rodionova too is a good mover and possesses no shortage of court-craft. But it is hard to see how she will be able to consistently hurt Vondrousova. The eighth seed, in contrast, has a useful weapon in her forehand and that should give her enough to reach the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 2
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