Heading into the final four in Lyon we have top seed Caroline Garcia looking to take the title in her home country alongside three unseeded players, who’ve all never lifted a WTA title on a hardcourt before.
WTA Lyon Semi-Final Predictions
Alycia Parks vs Maryna Zanevska
Head-to-head: 0-0
Alycia Parks has lost just two of her last 19 matches and it shows with the 22 year old now ranked inside the world’s top 80 and transitioning well to the main WTA Tour. Whilst it’s evident her game has become more solid over the last six or so months, what’s very noticeable is her mentality is holding up just as well with managing to clutch out tight matches, something she’s already done twice this week. With the Belgaian Zanevska you more or less know what you’re going to get on the other side of the court with the 29 year old stuck between the 60-100 level of tennis as she has the past few years. We also need to remind ourselves that there’s a reason Zanevska has never made a WTA final on a hardcourt despite at the back end of her 20s. This is going to come down to whether the American can not let the possibility of a first WTA final get to her because if she doesn’t, it’s there for her.
Prediction: Parks in 3
Caroline Garcia vs Camila Osorio
Head-to-head: 0-0
Let’s start with the obvious, it was a very disappointing Australian Open for the Frenchwoman who would have firmly believed she was in with a real chance of winning her maiden Grand Slam. Impressively though, she hasn’t let that get to her and whilst her matches this week have been fairly tight, she’s produced her best tennis when she’s needed to. Osorio will try and grind down Garcia but given her serve is nowhere near a weapon, on an indoor hardcourt, Garcia’s serve in contrast will thrive. Expect Garcia to breeze through her service games whilst Osorio’s are a struggle, as will be trying to defend at the back of the ground if the 29 year old is hitting the ball well. It’s been a good week for the 21 year old but this is probably a step too far.
Prediction: Garcia in 2
Main Photo from Getty Images
