WTA San Diego day 4 looks set to be an amazing day of tennis. Several of the best players in women’s take to the courts on Thursday hoping to take on step closer to the title. Add to that the chance to cement a place at the WTA Finals and you have a recipe for must-see tennis. With the likes of Jessica Pegula, Bianca Andreescu and Aryna Sabalenka still in the tournament, the next few days should be brilliant. These are also the only predictions for Thursday as their are only five matches scheduled. With that in mind, let’s get stuck in to the matches in question.
WTA San Diego Open Day 4 Predictions
Aryna Sabalenka vs Sloane Stephens
Head-to-head:
All out offense meets elite defense in this tantalising matchup. Aryna Sabalenka is one of the biggest hitters on the tour and is a true force when firing on all cylinders. By contrast, Sloane Stephens is most comfortable counterpunching and defending, a strategy that could work well here. Sabalenka is known to spray errors often enough when she’s not fully focused. That may be an issue here with Stephens, who will undoubtedly make her play more balls than she would like. However, Sabalenka’s second serve – a real vulnerability for the Belarusian – likely goes unpunished here as the American isn’t one for stepping forward and taking big chunks at returns. That factor should give Sabalenka enough breathing room to tee up the winners she needs to advance here.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Daria Kasatkina vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: 7 – 1 Keys
Another contrast in styles here. Daria Kasatkina has immense tennis IQ and loves to carefully craft her points. Madison Keys is more adept at simply hitting opponents off the court and does so with aplomb when in good form. Both have enjoyed a resurgence in their careers in recent months and both are in with a chance of making the WTA Finals this year. A deep run in San Diego would greatly help that cause which makes this match all the more exciting. Keys owns this matchup, winning 7 of 8 matches, each of which was played on hard courts. Kasatkina beat Keys for the first time earlier this year, but a 7-1 record is hard to ignore and I suspect Keys notches another win against the Russian here.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Iga Swiatek vs Qinwen Zheng
Head-to-head: 2 – 1 Swiatek
Qinwen Zheng has quietly gone about becoming one of the most exciting young talents in women’s tennis since the start of the year. The Chinese star has a great game and temperament and will go far on the WTA Tour in years to come. However, she faces a tough ask here against world #1 Iga Swiatek. The Polish superstar lost in the Ostrava final last week, a feeling she isn’t very familiar with. While that could make her vulnerable, I suspect it likely fires her up to make amends. If that’s the case and she comes out in the same form then the entire draw here is in trouble. Zheng is a quality young star, but she can’t live with Swiatek at her best just yet.
Prediction: Swiatek in 3
Louisa Chirico vs Paula Badosa Gibert
Head-to-head: 1 – 0 Badosa Gibert
Louisa Chirico did very well to score an upset win against compatriot Alison Riske-Amritraj in the last round. However, this is a different class of opponent and Chirico benefitted from Riske-Amritraj chocking in key moments of that match. She won’t be so lucky here. Paula Badosa Gibert is the world #4 and one of the toughest customers on the women’s tour over the last 12 months. The Spaniard has won big titles and is used to going deep in big tournaments. As such, she is the clear favourite here and I suspect the result will match that viewpoint when this one is over.
Prediction: Badosa Gibert in 2
Coco Gauff vs Bianca Andreescu
Head-to-head: First meeting
A couple of years ago, these two were at the center of what could be as far as the future of women’s tennis. Coco Gauff has certainly gone on to live up to the Hype that surrounded her. Andreescu, however, has struggled mightily with injuries since the end of 2019 and is yet to return to the top of women’s tennis. The young Canadian at her best is almost unplayable on hard courts, as her run in 2019 shows. She will need that level here though, as Gauff is in scintillating form this year and looks ready to start racking up big titles herself. Andreescu was sloppy at times in her last match, but there have been signs her best is coming back. If that’s true and she finds it here, she should be able to edge what I expect will be a very tight match.
Predictions: Andreescu in 3
