The final eight are set in Chicago, with several big names still in the mix. Top seed Elina Svitolina joins the likes of Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic and multiple major winner Garbine Muguruza. This tournament has produced some brilliant tennis this week and the weekend’s action should be no different. Who will emerge victorious is an intriguing story line that any tennis fan will not want to miss. It is also the question we try to answer here in our WTA Chicago Classic quarterfinal predictions.
WTA Chicago Quarterfinal Predictions
Garbine Muguruza vs Mai Hontama
Head-to-head: First meeting
Raise your hand if you had Mai Hontama in the quarterfinals in Chicago. Okay now put them down you liars. Her run is undoubtedly the feel-good story of the tournament. Even if she did benefit from Anett Kontaveit withdrawing, Hontama earned her spot here with a great win over Shelby Rogers. Unfortunately for her, that means she now has the tough task of getting passed Garbine Muguruza. The Spaniard benefitted from a withdrawal by Victoria Azarenka last round. The rest will likely benefit her and she should feel confident here. Muguruza has a bigger game, more weapons and more experience than Hontama. She has also made a habit of winning matches she is supposed to this year, with only the best of the best beating her more often than not. This match shouldn’t be close and I expect Muguruza to advance comfortably here.
Prediction: Muguruza in 2
Belinda Bencic vs Elena Rybakina
Head-to-head: 1 – 0 Bencic
This should be an epic matchup. Both Bencic and Elena Rybakina have had very strong second halves of the calendar year in 2021 and are in prime position to push for a place in the WTA finals at the end of the year. A win in Chicago would certainly go a long way towards making that happen which means the pressure is on in this match. Bencic leads the head to head and has played at a slightly higher level in recent months so I’m going to give her the slight edge in this match. However, if Rybakina finds her range and starts hitting winners all bets are off and this could easily swing her way. Take the Swiss, but do so cautiously.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
Danielle Collins vs Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Collins is smashing in the barn doors on the American hard court circuit this year and looks set for yet another deep run here. The American has played fearless, big-strike tennis and is proving a real handful for all comers. She faces a tough opponent here though. Vondrousova won the silver medal in Tokyo and has looked dangerous all year after shrugging off injury issues that plagued her in 2020. This match will likely come down to who can sustain their best tennis for longest as talent wise they are pretty even as things stand. Collins has the greater form and is perhaps more comfortable on this surface so I think she may just sneak through here.
Prediction: Collins in 2
Elina Svitolina vs Ons Jabeur
Head-to-head: 2 – 0 Svitolina
Yet another high quality encounter between two of the best in the women’s game here. Svitolina is in red hot form and won the first Chicago tournament in the build up to the US Open. She has continued that great form in the Windy City this week and looks a favourite to go all the way. She must get passed Jabeur in order to do so, but a convincing head-to-head record and better form should fill her with confidence. Jabeur can be impossible when at her best, but defensive monsters like Svitolina can cause her trouble and make her overplay. I expect exactly that to happen here and for the Ukrainian to move on in the end.
Prediction: Svitolina in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
