It’s time for the quarterfinals of the 2023 Rothesay Classic. Can the top two seeds, Barbora Krejcikova and Jelena Ostapenko, keep going, or will we see another batch of upsets on Friday? Who do you think will make the final four?
WTA Birmingham Quarterfinal Predictions
Lin Zhu vs Rebecca Marino
Head-to-head: Zhu 3-2
These two have been running into each other on a very regular basis for the past couple of years, meeting on five occasions since the beginning of 2022. Neither of these was on grass though and this will be a new chapter of the rivalry. Lin Zhu is one of the stories of the week so far with her upsets over Magda Linette and Katie Boulter, while Rebecca Marino made it into the event as a lucky loser and keeps playing three-setters. The Canadian has a lot more raw power, but maybe Zhu’s superior timing and movement prove key?
Prediction: Zhu in 3
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Harriet Dart vs Anastasia Potapova
Head-to-head: Potapova 1-0
Anastasia Potapova came back from 2-5 down in the deciding set to Caty McNally on Thursday and remains in the tournament. She only played one match on grass last year and could still gather more experience on the surface, which is something that Harriet Dart certainly doesn’t lack. The Brit has a bit of a reputation for pushing better players at home or in team-based competitions, but Potapova should figure her out sooner or later.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
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Jelena Ostapenko vs Magdalena Frech
Head-to-head: First meeting
You rarely get a more extreme contrast in terms of the weaponry both players possess. Magdalena Frech actually keeps surprising almost every grass season though and has a way of counterpunching on this surface with some really smooth movement and an underrated serve. But Jelena Ostapenko has this one on her racket and the result should depend almost only on the quality of her performance. It will be a struggle for Frech to keep her at bay.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
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Barbora Krejcikova vs Linda Fruhvirtova
Head-to-head: Krejcikova 1-0
Barbora Krejcikova’s grass experience is actually quite limited (at least in singles), but it’s easy to forget that the 2021 Roland Garros champion’s stay at the top of the game hasn’t been that long yet after all. There’s no reason why she wouldn’t be able to succeed in such conditions with her serve and the ability to introduce plenty of variety. It’s been a nice couple of wins for Linda Fruhvirtova, but the quality of the competition might be too much here.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
