Day 4 at the WTA event in Abu Dhabi will feature the conclusion of the Round of 16, with four very exciting and intriguing matches. It’ll feature the recent Australian Open finalist and reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, among other top level players.
WTA Abu Dhabi Day 4 Predictions
Barbora Krejcikova vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both players showed some very good tennis in the first round here and have good prospects of climbing up the rankings this year. The 2021 French Open champion also played decently in Australia, reaching the fourth round Down Under, seems to be in good form and should be able to pull through here even against a higher ranked opponent.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 2
Daria Kasatkina vs Jil Teichmann
Head-to-head: Kasatkina 2-0 Teichmann
The World #8 had a terrible start to the season, winning only two games in the Adelaide final and then losing in the first round at the Australian Open. She will be desperate to get her season back on track and while Teichmann is a potentially tricky opponent Kasatkina clearly has more to her game and should be able to prevail here.
Prediction: Kasatkina in 2
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Yulia Putintseva
Head-to-head: first meeting
Haddad Maia is currently ranked #14 in the world despite never making it past the second round of any Slam, precisely because she can regularly get wins at Tour level. Her ranking still doesn’t seem like an accurate reflection of her level and this matchup is far more even than what the difference in ranking would suggest. It should be a very tight match that could go either way.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 3
Karolina Pliskova vs Elena Rybakina
Head-to-head: Rybakina 2-0 Pliskova
Rybakina is one of the most in-form players on tour; she reached the final in Australia, beating the nearly invincible Iga Swiatek on the way and coming very close to actually lifting the trophy. Her ranking is deceptively low at #10 because she got no points for her Wimbledon title last year. She should rise further up the rankings in the coming months and be one of the favorites in every tournament she enters.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
