The semifinals of the Ostrava Open feature two fresh match ups – neither pair have faced each other before – between in-form players. All four have played incredible recent matches on hard courts. Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals and finals of the US Open, Jennifer Brady in the semifinals of the same tournament, Maria Sakkari in the round of 16 at both the Western and Southern Open and the US Open, and Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16 in Ostrava where she overcame Coco Gauff. The first meetings between Sakkari and Azarenka and between Brady and Sabalenka promise to be barnburners.
WTA Ostrava Open Day 6 Predictions Including Victoria Azarenka vs Maria Sakkari
Embed from Getty Images
Jennifer Brady vs Aryna Sabalenka
Head to head: 0-0
Aryna Sabalenka’s quarterfinal match against qualifier Sara Sorribes Tormo featured one of the quirkiest score lines imaginable. After taking a 6-0, 4-0 lead Sorribes Tormo had the match wrestled from her grasp as Sabalenka went on to win the next 12 games for a final score line of 0-6, 6-4, 6-0. Sabalenka’s belief even after losing 10 straight games will be needed against Brady who has been playing the best tennis of her career for the past two months. Brady also had to dig deep to eke out a victory over Viktoria Kudermetova. Brady took the loss of a tight first set tiebreak on the chin. She quickly regrouped, found another gear, and powered through the next two sets. Sabalenka’s wobble against Sorribes Tormo is unignorable. Brady has not lost sight of her best tennis so severely. If Sabalenka comes into the match even slightly below her best, Brady has the game to prevail. Sabalenka is enough of a fighter that, even slightly off her game she can force a tussle, but Brady has been the more convincing player thus far in Ostrava.
Prediction: Brady in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka
Head to head: 0-0
Maria Sakkari did well to dispatch Ons Jabeur in the Ostrava quarterfinals. Jabeur, who reached the quarterfinals of the French Open, plays the kind of tennis that can take even the best players out of their comfort zone. Sakkari stayed calm and found ways to execute her shots. Sakkari also stayed mentally engaged after dropping the first set eventually plowing through the third for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory. Victoria Azarenka, however, will be a challenge of a different order. Seventh seed Elise Mertens managed to win only five games against the committed Belarusian. This was four more than in their previous meeting, but Azarenka’s game – which has won her three grand slams and saw her through to the US Open final just weeks ago – was overwhelming. Sakkari’s fine form will be a good test for Azarenka and the match could have tight moments, but Azarenka is such a strong player in such a rich vein of hard court form it’s impossible to bet against her.
Prediction: Azarenka in 3
Main image:
