The business end of the tournament has arrived at the WTA Cincinnati Open. The relatively quick conditions have suited the big hitters this week, as a result we are left with some of the biggest hitters on tour slugging it out for the title. As always, we here at LWOT are offering our preview and prediction for both semifinals, but who will come out on top?
WTA Cincinnati Semifinal Predictions
Petra Kvitova vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: Kvitova 4-4 Keys
Petra Kvitova and Madison Keys have each utilised favourable conditions to reverse mediocre recent form. Kvitova was one point away from a first round exit but managed to fight past Jil Teichmann 6-7 7-6 6-3, perhaps a tough win that she needed to have. A 6-2 6-3 second round win over Sorana Cirstea was followed by a 6-1 4-6 6-0 victory against the fifth seeded Ons Jabeur. The Czech secured her spot in the semifinals with her most commanding performance of the tournament as she breezed past Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2 6-3.
Madison Keys has stormed through a tough draw without dropping a set. The American started the week with a 7-5 6-3 win over Yulia Putintseva before defeating Jelena Ostapenko 6-4 7-5. Keys made her biggest move in the third round where she upset world #1 Iga Swiatek 6-3 6-4. Keys made it back-t0-back wins over reigning major champions when she defeated Elena Rybakina 6-2 6-4 to book her spot in the semifinals.
This is a matchup that can easily go either way, as the 4-4 head-to-head record between the pair suggests. Both play with fine margins, anything is possible. Kvitova defeated Keys 7-5 6-4 in Cincinnati last year in their most recent clash and I expect a similar result on this occasion. Both are playing great this week, but Kvitova looks more likely to maintain that level more than Keys/
Prediction: Kvitova in 2
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Aryna Sabalenka vs Caroline Garcia
Head-to-head: Sabalenka 2-1 Garcia
Double faults continue to be an issue for Aryna Sabalenka, but the Belarusian’s powerful baseline game and some luck has seen her to reach the semifinals this week despite her struggles from the line. The sixth seed received a bye through the opening round before benefiting from a retirement of Ana Kalinskaya as she led 6-3 4-1. Sabalenka faced her toughest test in the third round where she outlasted Shelby Rogers 6-4 6-7 6-4 before securing a semifinal spot with a 6-4 7-6 win against Zhang Shuai despite hitting 12 double faults.
Caroline Garcia is one of the form players on tour right now. The Frenchwoman seems to be back to her best, in this form she is very dangerous. Garcia has already won 6 matches this week having come through the qualifying draw. It was in the second round of the main draw where Garcia made her biggest move by defeating the fourth seeded Maria Sakkari 7-6 6-7 6-1. Garcia confirmed her spot in the semifinals with an impressive 6-1 7-5 win over seventh seeded Jessica Pegula in a match where she did no concede serve.
This should be an entertaining match and both players will surely believe they can win it. But expect it to be Garcia who comes out on top. In a matchup where both players possess plenty of power from the baseline, it is Garcia who is serving better at the moment and who has more style and variety to her game. The Frenchwoman seems to have the edge.
Prediction: Garcia in 2
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