The scheduling in Washington this week has been pretty ridiculous.  On Saturday, Vasek Pospisil and Santiago Giraldo will resume their quarter-final match at NB 1pm local time and then play their semi-final match at NB 7pm against Richard Gasquet.  The second of the womens semi-finals is scheduled AFTER this match at NB 9.15pm, which is over eight hours after the first womens semi-final! The women are always given a very rough deal in DC.  Here’s my preview for the most intriguing of the women’s semi-finals…

1. Ekaterina Makarova v Svetlana Kuznetsova (WTA Washington, SF)

The Washington draw has seen a flurry of upsets this week; however the bottom half has held up reasonably well for this all-Russian semi-final.  Ekaterina Makarova has had a great week, manoeuvring her way through the toughest section of the draw with straight set wins against the defending champion, Magdalena Rybarikova, Lauren Davis and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.  She will play Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-finals, who benefitted from a walkover in the quarter-finals when Vania King was forced to pull out.  She’s often a slow starter after a break from the tour; Kuznetsova lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Michelle Larcher de Brito, but she has rebounded strongly in DC with straight set wins over Polona Hercog and Kirsten Flipkens.  Kuznetsova leads the H2H 3-1 over Makarova.  Both have marched through the tournament with reasonable ease and displaying good form.  This is not an easy match to call; Kuznetsova has the more variety, but is also perhaps, the more shaky.  She nearly blew a 5-2 second set lead in her match with Flipkens before prevailing 7-5.  I’m going for Kuznetsova, but it’s a 50-50 call.

Prediction: Kuznetsova d. Makarova in 3 sets

ATP Washington Semi-Final Prediction

Milos Raonic d. Donald Young in 2 tight sets

WTA Washington Semi-Final Prediction

Marina Erakovic d. Kurumi Nara in 3 sets