Wuhan Scores – 21 / 31 (68%)
WTA Wuhan Final Poll for Saturday
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WTA Wuhan Final Prediction for Saturday
Day 7 – 0/1
Thoughts in Friday’s Set Points Post
Barty d. Garcia in 3 sets
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WTA Wuhan SF Polls for Friday
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WTA Wuhan SF Predictions for Friday
Day 6 – 2/2
Thoughts on both matches in Thursday’s Set Points post
Barty d. Ostapenko in 2 sets
Garcia d. Sakkari in 2 sets
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WTA Wuhan QF Polls for Thursday
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WTA Wuhan QF Predictions for Thursday
Day 5 – 3/4
Ostapenko d. Muguruza in 2 sets – Just a feeling here that Ostapenko will take this. The serve has very up and down, but she’ll be confident with seven wins on the bounce. I think the leg injury might be an issue for Muguruza, particularly without a day off. Muguruza leads the head-to-head, 2-0 and won their most recent match in Rome, 2-6 6-2 6-1. Ostapenko had been in cruise control early doors before inexplicably losing her rhythm and a resurgent Muguruza fighting back.
Pliskova d. Barty in 3 sets – The pair have played twice before, both on grass in Nottingham. Pliskova beat Barty in the quarter-finals last year, 7-6(2) 7-6(7) en route to winning the title. Super impressed with Barty this week who keeps on improving and picking up noteworthy wins. On this occasion, I think that Pliskova will prevail and, having had a straightforward match on Wednesday where she was clearly happy with her level, may work in her favour.
Sakkari d. Cornet in 3 sets – Sakkari won their only previous match at the Australian Open earlier this year, 7-5 4-6 6-1. I’ve always felt like they have quite similar games, very intense and scrapping hard from the baseline. I actually like Sakkari here with Cornet perhaps not 100% with her finger injury. A big opportunity for both players.
Garcia d. Makarova in 3 sets – Makarova leads the head-to-head, 2-0 with straight set wins in Washington (6-2 6-0, 2013) and Wimbledon (7-5 6-3, 2014). While both unseeded, this is a legit Premier quarter-final with both in great form. Makarova has won 14 of her last 17 matches, while Garcia has won at least three matches at eight of her last 14 tournaments. I’m going on instinct here – I really like Garcia on these courts and her desire to come forward this week has been a key factor in her wins.
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WTA Wuhan R3 Polls for Wednesday
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WTA Wuhan R3 Predictions for Wednesday
Day 4 – 7/8
Muguruza d. Linette in 2 sets – I don’t think Muguruza will win this tournament as she will have to play every day and the leg is clearly not 100%. As much as Linette has improved, I don’t think she will have the consistency to unsettle Muguruza.
Ostapenko d. Puig in 2 sets – Ostapenko leads the head-to-head, 2-0 having dropped just seven games in the process. I’ve always thought that Ostapenko tends to do well against fellow big hitters who hit deep with pace.
Pliskova d. Wang Qiang in 3 sets – I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wang Qiang push Pliskova all the way. The Chinese player has the weapons, yet i’m not quite sure she has the belief. Therefore, i’d fancy Pliskova to pull through again as she has done so many times this year.
Barty d. Radwanska in 3 sets – Really interesting match-up, i’ve always felt Radwanska can struggle against players with variety. Barty has had one of the most consistent years of anyone and will have benefitted from a day off after beating Konta on Monday. I’ll take a risk and go for Barty.
Cornet d. Lepchenko in 3 sets – A toss-up, no strong feelings with both securing a pair of decent straight set wins. If Cornet is physically OK to go, i’d have more faith in her getting across the finish line in a three set battle.
Vesnina d. Sakkari in 2 sets – First time match-up. Vesnina has looked pretty solid so far this week. Sakkari is a real battler and won’t go down without a fight. Instinct with Vesnina.
Garcia d. Cibulkova in 3 sets – Garcia would be my dark horse tip for the title following two superb wins over Kerber and McHale, and having played well in Wuhan before. Cibulkova has definitely stepped up her intensity and is arguably playing her best tennis of the entire year. Just wonder whether the leg injury from Tokyo will be an issue at all?
Makarova d. Kasatkina in 3 sets – I’m torn on this one because I really want Kasatkina to win! Makarova though is in great form and if she plays a peak match, highly possible based on her recent matches, then I think she could be too powerful for Kasatkina. Playing Sevastova in the first round will have been a good warm-up for this one. If Kasatkina can get stuck in and lengthen the rallies with a mix of pace and spins then she can definitely unsettle Makarova. A different match to the Halep one, but she’ll come in with confidence.
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WTA Wuhan R2 Polls for Tuesday
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WTA Wuhan R2 Predictions for Tuesday
Day 3 – 9/15
Goerges d. Radwanska in 3 sets – Goerges won their last match in Cincy earlier this summer, defending break points with clutch precision to win, 6-4 6-4. It will take another superb performance from Goerges but I think the courts will help her out. Just a question mark about Radwanska’s health/fitness having been ill in Tokyo.
Pliskova d. Zhang in 2 sets – Zhang had a match point when they last played at the US Open in a terrific match. Pliskova’s form has been generally unconvincing for large patches of the year, but she’s dug out a lot of wins when not playing at her best. Not really sure about this one. Zhang’s riding a six match winning streak after Guangzhou but with that comes heavy legs.
Halep d. Kasatkina in 3 sets – A battle of the jumping backhand winners! Halep hasn’t dropped a set against Kasatkina in two previous matches. I think an aggressive, Kasatkina could be a threat in this match-up as Halep plays her first match since the US Open. Kasatkina looked gassed during her first round win over Riske, but played smart tennis to win it in three. Conditions could have an impact here for both – Halep has struggled in heat before. Instinct (hmmm) is that Halep will be hungry for success after NYC and ready to go.
Peng d. Puig in 3 sets – Puig should win this… but you just never know with Puig. Peng will no doubt be knackered after the epic vs. Kvitova and her knee strapping is concerning. However, the Chinese player’s form is strong and she has consistent strokes. It may even be enough against an erratic, Puig.
Muguruza d. Tsurenko in 2 sets – Tsurenko actually won their only previous match in Toronto in 2015, 7-5 6-1. I was surprised by the Muguruza-Wozniacki scoreline in Tokyo because the Spaniard had looked so secure through her first two matches with her aggressive baseline game. I’d still take Mugs in straights here.
Kuznetsova d. Cornet in 2 sets – Kuznetsova has an outside chance for Singapore but will need a good result here. I feel like she should have too much game for Cornet. The Frenchwoman had a big win though in the first round over Pavs, her first in seven meetings. I wondered if she was going to play in Wuhan after posting on social media about a finger sprain.
Wang Qiang d. Cirstea in 3 sets – Both have hard hitting games, I think Wang Qiang will be a tad more consistent.
Cibulkova d. Teichmann in 2 sets – A big opportunity for the wild card, Teichmann who dispatched of Stosur in three sets in the first round. An ideal opener on paper for Cibulkova who will have had three days to recover from a leg injury that forced her to retire from her quarter-final match in Tokyo.
Wozniacki d. Sakkari in 2 sets – I don’t see why Woz can’t go all the way in Wuhan. A few days off from Tokyo and I do not see Sakkari posing her too many problems in this second round clash.
Garcia d. McHale in 2 sets – McHale has won three of their last four matches on tour. However, Garcia has been the much more consistent player throughout 2017 and delivered a stunning display to beat Kerber on Monday. CarGar has done well in Wuhan previously so could be one to watch this week…
Strycova d. Ostapenko in 3 sets – Oh this could be tasty! I was impressed how Ostapenko didn’t completely lose her head in the Seoul final after losing a tight opener to Beatriz Haddad Maia, eventually winning in three. The courts should help her out, yet the serve remains erratic. Strycova has had a few good wins in the last week and I think she has the kind of game that could throw Ostapenko’s rhythm. I’m hoping for some fireworks!
Linette d. Siniakova in 3 sets – Siniakova on her day wins this but that doesn’t happen all too often! Linette has had a pretty solid year and could sweep up.
Makarova d. Davis in 2 sets – Davis snapped a seven match losing streak to beat Petkovic in the first round. Makarova’s level has been consistently high since Washington so i’d fancy her to be too strong for the American.
Lepchenko d. Bertens in 3 sets – I was surprised to see Bertens win her opener against the dangerous, Niculescu, having lost her last four matches. This is a complete toss-up for me, expecting a momentum-swinging three setter.
Vesnina d. Mertens in 3 sets – Another toss-up, I really like Mertens’s game. The Belgian player did win their only previous match in Fed Cup action earlier this year although it was on Vesnina’s least favoured surface of clay.
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WTA Wuhan R2 Prediction for Monday
Day 2 – 0/1
Konta d. Barty in 3 sets – Now this is an interesting one. Barty won her opener against CiCi Bellis and is generally enjoying a superb year. A couple more decent results would see her likely bag a seeding for the Australian Open. Konta too has had an excellent year although she has lost five of her last seven matches since Wimby, enduring her roughest spell of the past few years. I wonder if the prospect of qualifying for Singapore is there in the back of her mind? I thought she played a shaky match against Barbora Strycova in Tokyo, yet she had chances to win it in straights. Konta would go onto lose in two tight sets, 5-7 6-7(6).
Not an ideal match-up for Konta and she has struggled against players with variety since Wimbledon. Barty has some weapons with the backhand slice and serve/forehand, but the consistency is still coming and choosing the right shot at the right time. I was interested by their only previous match where Konta beat Barty, 6-3 7-5 in the quarter-finals of Nottingham on arguably a surface that slightly favours Barty. I’d tag this one with an upset alert – going for Jo to sneak through in three.
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