The second-round matches at the WTA bett1open in Berlin will be concluded on Day 4 of th event. World No. 4 and top seed Ons Jabeur looks poised to advance into the last eight on Thursday. But who else could potentially join the Tunisian?
WTA Berlin Day 4 Predictions
Belinda Bencic vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: Bencic 1-0 Kalinskaya
Bencic withstood a barrage of aces and winners against Jule Niemeier before pulling away in a tight three-setter. Kalinskaya, meanwhile, defeated Alize Cornet 6-4 6-4 to book her meeting with Bencic for the second week in a row. This should be another close affair as both players possess great depth in their shots. Bencic is unafraid of going for the lines and will always look to redirect the ball with power and placement. Kalinskaya managed to break Cornet five times in her last round which is a testament to her aggression on the baseline. If the unseeded Russian improves on her first serve numbers, she can make things interesting.
Prediction: Kalinskaya in 3
Coco Gauff vs Xinyu Wang
Head-to-head: first meeting
Gauff and Wang have a little bit of history from the junior circuit. Gauff powered past Wang en route to the Roland Garros Juniors’ title in 2018. This, however, will be their first meeting at tour level. The young American has enjoyed a meteoric rise, unlike her Chinese opponent. It could be a big week for the 18-year-old who has Top 10 aspirations in mind. If she makes the final this weekend, she could break the world’s Top 10 for the first time. Consistency is becoming a hallmark in Gauff’s game. She is a steady performer and always looks to attack the first shot. I think she is a huge favorite to win it all this week.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Veronika Kudermetova vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: Kudermetova 1-1 Samsonova
Samsonova shockingly won the title in Berlin last season ranked 104 in the world. She upset a bevy of tour-level campaigners including Kudermetova, Madison Keys, Victoria Azarenka, and Belinda Bencic. The 23-year-old, now ranked at #29, began her title defense with a routine win over Tamara Zidansek – her 11th win on German soil.
Samsonova will renew her rivalry against compatriot Kudermetova whom she defeated at the same stage last year. Kudermetova, for her part, snatched an unlikely victory against Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday. She trailed 2-6 2-5 at one point before turning the match on its head. Samsonova is more than capable of taking down the higher-ranked Kudermetova again. This is one of those matches which could easily go either way. Both players serve with supreme efficiency and we might need a tiebreak or two to settle it. I’ll lean towards the defending champion who looks like a revitalized player after a poor run of form in recent weeks.
Prediction: Samsonova in 3
Ons Jabeur vs Alycia Parks
Head-to-head: first meeting
Much was made of Ons Jabeur’s shock first-round defeat at the French Open. But the Tunisian star bounced back in impressive fashion at the bett1open in Berlin. Jabeur knocked out last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinalist Karolina Muchova in straight sets to advance into the second round. Jabeur’s versatility to adjust to different surfaces is a major asset. She has made the quarterfinals or better in seven of her last 10 tournaments and should extend that good record on Thursday. Alycia Parks’ first quarterfinal at tour-level might have to wait for now.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
