WTA Stanford: Semi Final Predictions

WTA Stanford: Can Lepchenko & Svitolina make their first Premier level final?

The semi finals have been decided at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford. Only one of the four players I predicted at the beginning of the week has made it this far as there have been a number of early upsets.

Here are my predictions as to who will reach the final.

(Rank/Seed)

(11/4) Karolina Pliskova vs (60/-) Varvara Lepchenko

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Pliskova will break the top 10 next week regardless of whether she wins this match or not. Though she’s struggled in the slams, the Czech has done particularly well on tour with this being her sixth semi final of the year. Unlike the other higher seeded players, the 23 year old has adapted well to the fast hard courts and hasn’t dropped a set yet. Though she faced a couple of set points against Kimiko Date Krumm in the second round, she went on to win the match 75 62 and advance beyond the second round here for the first time.

Lepchenko always plays well in Stanford, having reached the semis here last year and the quarters in 2013. Though the 29 year old started the year well with a semi final run in Brisbane, she came into Stanford having lost her last six matches. The American scarcely survived her first round match here too, edging Mirjana Lucic Baroni in a third set tiebreak before stunning (5/1) Caroline Wozniacki 64 62 in the second round. Though Wozniacki was hampered by a knee injury, Lepchenko did well to stay focused through innumerable rain delays to get her first win in five against the Dane. She was then forced to recover from a set and a break behind to beat Mona Barthel 67(3) 62 63 to reach her first semi final since January.

Pliskova has beaten Lepchenko in both of their previous meetings, which were also contested on hard courts. However, both were three setters, the most recent being in the final of Seoul last autumn which Pliskova won 63 67(5) 62.

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These players have different styles, with Pliskova hitting hard and flat and Lepchenko hitting with heavy, lefty spin. Considering the pace of these courts, the head to head and the fact that Pliskova has already reached three finals this year, I predict she will win.

Prediction: Karolina Pliskova

(14/5) Angelique Kerber vs (20/8) Elina Svitolina

Kerber might have struggled in the slams, but like Pliskova has been in top form on tour, this also being her sixth semi final of the year. The German swatted young top prospects, Daria Gavrilova and Ana Konjuh aside before edging (7/2) Agnieszka Radwanska 46 64 64 in the quarters as I predicted she would. The match was one of the best this year, featuring incredible rallies involving everything from drop shots and lobs to volleys and surprising power. The 27 year olds fight saw her through and she’s now one win away from her fourth final of the year and equalling her finals appearance here from last year.

Svitolina continues to impress, this being her fourth semi final of the year. The 20 year old cracked the top 20 for the first time earlier this year and went on to reach the quarters at the French Open. In her debut here, she’s been forced to fight hard in recovering from 3-5 down to beat Kateryna Bondarenko 46 64 75 in the first round and 4-5 down to beat Alison Riske 46 75 61 in the quarters. The Ukrainian is bidding to reach her second final of the year and her first final at the Premier level.

Kerber and Svitolina are tied at 2-2 in their head to head, with all four meetings coming on hard courts in the past two years. Svitolina has won the last two, the latest coming in Brisbane back in January. There, Svitolina recovered from 0-3 down in the second set to eventually win 46 75 63.

This match could be unpredictable as neither player has an imposing serve. Both will look to be aggressive when the time is right, but I feel it’s more important for Svitolina to go for her shots as Kerber is definitely the better mover. It’s tough to call as both players have a habit of making life difficult for themselves, but I feel that Kerber is playing top 10 tennis right now and should win.

Prediction: Angelique Kerber

Next: WTA Stanford: Preview & Predictions

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