We’ve reached the quarterfinal stage at the WTA Japan Open Tennis Championships in Osaka. Top seed Zhu Lin and third seed Xinyu Wang are among the favorites to lift the trophy, but both face their sternest tests on Friday. Who will overcome the challenge and reach the last four?
WTA Osaka Quarterfinal Predictions
Ashlyn Krueger vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: first meeting
Krueger has served up two polished performances this week. Her shots are so pure and clean and added to her powerful serve, you get an amalgam of a very dangerous underdog. Kalinskaya has played some great tennis since her comeback, overcoming a vastly superior side of the draw to reach the quarterfinal. The Russian has doubled up this week (semifinalist in doubles), probably to attain peak fitness levels after being away for over three months due to injury. We’ve seen her level drop a fair bit in matches against Jule Niemeier and Harriet Dart. So this could suggest a more capable ball striker like Krueger might fancy her chances.
Prediction: Krueger in 3
Yulia Putintseva vs Xinyu Wang
Head-to-head: first meeting
This should be a cracking contest. Two of the highest seeds in the draw going toe to toe. Obviously, Yulia Putintseva has a more accomplished resume than Xinyu Wang. But the Chinese player is catching up pretty quickly, winning the W100 title on the ITF Tour in the past month and vaulting to a career-high ranking of No. 39 after her a run to the fourth round of the US Open. We’ve seen a handful of first-time title winners on the WTA this season and with the way Wang is playing, there is the likelihood she could be next in line. Putintseva started this tournament on fire, but none of her vanquished opponents match up to Wang in terms of forehand potency and baseline accuracy. The Kazakh will have her hands full in this one.
Prediction: Wang in 3
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Mai Hontama vs Arianne Hartono
Head-to-head: Hartono 1-0 Hontama
A month ago, these two players contested a qualifying match at the 2023 US Open. But they’ll play for a spot in their first WTA semifinal in Osaka. You can make a case for both players here. Hontama is playing on home soil and is enjoying her best-ever run on hard courts at the top level, reaching a quarterfinal at 125K level last month, and now her second quarterfinal at WTA level with a straight sets win over Nadia Podoroska. Hartono, meanwhile, won her fourth straight match in Osaka having navigated the qualifying rounds last weekend. A 6-2 6-0 thrashing of Panna Udvardy was her 11th win in her last 13 matches. This could be anyone’s guess, but home factor is enough to convince me to pick the Japanese player.
Prediction: Hontama in 3
Zhu Lin vs Elizabeth Mandlik
Head-to-head: Lin 1-0 Mandlik
Elizabeth Mandlik equaled her career-best run on Tour by virtue of reaching the quarterfinal in Osaka. It took three sets to smother Rebecca Marino’s serve with her wondrous variety. She was very quick around the baseline and played some sumptuous slices and drop shots. Tactically, the young American was spot on against such a big hitter. But that game plan will need some tweaking against the top seed Zhu Lin. The Chinese player is having the season of her life. Like Mandlik, she went the full distance against home player Moyuka Uchijima but finished the match routinely. Zhu is a highly skilled baseliner with an aggressive style of play. If she brings her forehand into play here, she’ll dominate this match and end the qualifier’s run.
Prediction: Zhu in 2
Main Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
