Australian Open champion and Indian Wells runner-up Aryna Sabalenka continues her 2023 WTA Miami Open campaign against Marie Bouzkova. Can the Czech cause her some issues? Who do you think will come out on top? We have the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Miami Day 6 Predictions
Magdalena Frech vs Varvara Gracheva
Head-to-head: First meeting
What a run Varvara Gracheva is on, 13-2 in her last 15 matches with losses just to Elena Rybakina and Marta Kostyuk. Magdalena Frech will have a hard time opposing her, although the Pole’s done fine to take advantage of her lucky loser opportunity. She’s not the most explosive tennis player in the world though and it’s doubtful she’ll have enough to throw Gracheva off her game.
Prediction: Gracheva in 2
Karolina Muchova vs Sorana Cirstea
Head-to-head: Muchova 2-0
Both players are having a brilliant Sunshine Double with a quarterfinal appearance at Indian Wells each and some great matches in Miami already. Sorana Cirstea dispatched Caroline Garcia in the second round, but Karolina Muchova has been simply destroying her opposition. The Czech is finally healthy and hopefully her good physical state will continue, because she’s incredibly talented.
Prediction: Muchova in 3
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Belinda Bencic
Head-to-head: Bencic 3-2
Despite five prior meetings, it’s only going to be the second time they play on hard courts. Belinda Bencic suffered a second-round exit in Indian Wells, but she feels a lot more at home in the faster conditions in Miami. She completely crushed Leylah Fernandez in the opening round and should be the favorite here over Ekaterina Alexandrova, whose form lately has been very mediocre.
Prediction: Bencic in 2
Aryna Sabalenka vs Marie Bouzkova
Head-to-head: First meeting
It’s not going to be easy to stop Aryna Sabalenka in this tournament. The Belarusian is still sitting at an absurd 18-2 win/loss record for the year and while we started seeing some chinks in her armor after Australia, she’s still comfortably been the best player of 2023. Marie Bouzkova is a very fine player, but there also isn’t that much she could do when Sabalenka’s on song like that, she doesn’t really have the skillset to throw her off her game.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
