It promises to be a great day of WTA Toronto quarterfinal action. Five Americans are in the quarterfinals, the highest number ever at a WTA-1000 tournament. Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka is the highest seed left after Coco Gauff’s defeat in the last round, and she will face the 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova. As always, we at LWOT analyze and predict all the quarterfinal matches in Toronto. But which players do you think will reach the semifinals?
WTA Toronto Quarterfinal Predictions
Emma Navarro vs Taylor Townsend
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is an intriguing matchup. Navarro’s rise this season has been based on her athleticism, consistency, and ability to use variation at the right moments, while Townsend possesses considerable power on serve, return, and from the baseline. She is also comfortable coming to the net. Townsend’s return is probably the most crucial shot in this matchup. Navarro’s second serve is attackable, and Townsend was devastating stepping in on the return against the 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the last round.
If Navarro can defend her second serve well enough, her athleticism should be sufficient against her compatriot, but Townsend’s returning in her previous few matches gives her a very narrow edge. This really is a 50/50 matchup, though.
Prediction: Townsend in 3
Jessica Pegula vs Peyton Stearns
Head-to-head: Pegula 1-0 Stearns
Pegula will be wary of Stearns, who is tough to stop at her best. Stearns demonstrated that when she held match points to win against Sabalenka in Indian Wells. Nonetheless, defending champion Pegula has an excellent record at this tournament. She enjoys the fast conditions in Toronto and will trust herself to redirect Stearns’ pace. Pegula to overcome her fellow American in two competitive sets.
Prediction: Pegula in 2
Diana Shnaider vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: Shnaider 1-0 Samsonova
Shnaider easily defeated her compatriot a few months ago in Rome, although that was on clay. Samsonova has a better chance on a hard court and in fast conditions. Shnaider’s performance against Coco Gauff will give her a lot of belief heading into this contest, though. Although the US Open champion was far below her best, Shniader demonstrated she has the defensive skills to match her powerful hitting. That is important against Samsonova’s powerful groundstrokes and might give the 20-year-old the edge.
Prediction: Shnaider in 3
Aryna Sabalenka vs Amanda Anisimova
Head-to-head: Anisimova 4-2 Stearns
The head-to-head between these two will startle many. However, Sabalenka has won their last two meetings, including a comfortable triumph at this year’s Australian Open. The world No. 3, who skipped the Olympics and played at the Citi DC Open last week, also played her best match of the North American hard court season so far in the previous round against Katie Boulter. Anisimova impressed in her opening three matches, and her blistering power means she cannot be ruled out. However, Sabalenka is likely to implement her hard-hitting style more consistently.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jerry Lai – USA TODAY Sports
