WTA New Haven: Semi Final Predictions

WTA New Haven: Who’s happy hunting ground is this? Kvitova’s or Wozniacki’s?

The semi finals have been decided at the Connecticut Open in New Haven, USA. In the last week before the US Open, the players are desperately keen to finalise their game plans ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.

Here’s a look at the semi finals and who I think will reach the final.

(Rank/Seed)

(6/4 WC) Lucie Safarova vs (46/- LL) Lesia Tsurenko

Safarova has backed up her solid quarter final showing in Cincinnati with her third semi final of the year and her first since the French Open. The 28 year old reached the quarter finals here a couple of years ago but has gone one better this time, though it hasn’t been easy. After avenging a recent defeat in Toronto against Daria Gavrilova in the first round, the Czech was later forced to battle against resurgent Dominika Cibulkova in the quarters. Safarova eventually won the tightest of encounters 67(4) 64 75 for only her second win in six against the Slovak.

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Tsurenko has made yet another astonishingly deep run at a Premier level hard court event, behind quarter final runs at Indian Wells and Toronto as a qualifier. The Ukrainian has Simona Halep to thank, as it’s only because of her pre-tournament withdrawal that Tsurenko’s even in the draw as a lucky loser. Before that, she had been thrashed 61 60 in the final round of qualifying by Yulia Putintseva! Now, the 26 year old finds herself in only her second semi final of the year and her biggest since 2013 Brisbane, where incidentally she was also a lucky loser. After replacing Halep and therefore receiving a first round bye (her luck just doesn’t stop!), she went on to account for (8/5) Karolina Pliskova in the quarter finals. The 62 62 score line was surprisingly one sided, but Pliskova was as flat as a pancake throughout. The win proved to be Tsurenko’s fourth of the year against a top 10 player.

Safarova beat Tsurenko in their only previous meeting in the first round of the 2013 US Open. The match was tough, with Safarova winning 64 in the third and funnily enough, the two have been drawn to face off again in the first round of next week’s US Open too! Therefore, this match will act as an important pre-cursor of what’s to come.

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As in the quarters, Safarova is up against a sturdy baseliner with deceptive power and Tsurenko faces an erratic, flat hitting opponent with a big serve. How will Tsurenko handle Safarova’s lefty game? Judging by the way she’s played against top 10 players this year, I think she’ll be confident and I sense an upset.

Prediction: Lesia Tsurenko

(4/3 WC) Caroline Wozniacki vs (5/2) Petra Kvitova

Wozniacki has re-found her health and form in her favourite abode, reaching her sixth semi final of the year and her first since Eastbourne. Coming into this event, the 25 year old had lost her last four matches as she struggled with a recurrent knee injury. Though she crushed Alison Riske in the first round to end this losing run, she was far from convincing against Roberta Vinci. The Dane was forced to save three match points before escaping 64 67(6) 76(7) but looked all business against Caroline Garcia in the quarters, thrashing her 63 60. In reaching her seventh semi final here in eight attempts, the former four time champion appears to have gotten her game together in the nick of time.

Kvitova also appears to be back in better health despite her recent revelation about mononucleosis. Like Wozniacki, the Czech hadn’t won a match since Wimbledon before recovering to beat Madison Keys in the second round 46 61 62. Her game certainly went up a notch as she patiently handled (15/7 WC) Agnieszka Radwanska 75 64 in the quarters, recovering from 3-5 down in the process. Therefore, the 25 year old has reached only her fourth semi final of the year and her first since Madrid in May. What is it about New Haven that works for Kvitova? Like Wozniacki, Kvitova seems to piece it all together here, having reached the final for the past three years, winning in 2012 and 2014.

Wozniacki narrowly edges the head to head 5-4 against Kvitova, winning their latest meeting last October indoors in Singapore 62 63. The pair are tied at 2-2 on outdoor hard courts, with Wozniacki winning their last in Cincinnati 2013 by a tougher 36 62 63 score line.

As in the quarters, Kvitova will have to be patient if she’s to hit through Wozniacki. She’ll no doubt target Wozniacki’s weaker forehand and second serve, but will have to monitor her unforced error count in the process. Wozniacki should look to make this a physical encounter, protracting the rallies and getting Kvitova on the move. In order to do this, she must maintain a high first serve percentage and continue to go for her forehand, as she did against Garcia in the quarters.

This match is tough to call as between them they’ve won six of the past seven editions of this event. Kvitova should win if she plays her best. Then again, I don’t think she will and Wozniacki is the kind of player to take advantage.

Prediction: Caroline Wozniacki

Next: WTA Toronto: Semi Final Predictions

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