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US Open: Women’s 4th Round Predictions

By Jake Fletcher

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US Open: Can Konta make it 17 straight?

The 4th round has been decided in the bottom half of the women’s draw at the US Open. Unlike the top half, two top 10 players and a number of well known names have progressed into the last sixteen.

Here, I’ll take a look at the upcoming 4th round matches and predict who I think will reach the quarter finals.

(Rank/Seed)

(4/5) Petra Kvitova vs (97/Q) Johanna Konta

Kvitova has been impressive in her first three matches, reaching the 4th round here for the first time since 2012. Coming in off of a successful title defence in New Haven, the 25 year old Czech looks fresh and confident, thrashing rising star (32/32) Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 62 61 in the 3rd round (and I thought there’d been an upset there!)

Konta’s form this summer has been truly sensational! Since losing to Maria Sharapova in the 1st round at Wimbledon, the Brit has won sixteen straight matches, including a couple of ITF events in Granby and Vancouver, three qualifying matches and then three main draw matches here. At best, the 24 year old accounted for Wimbledon finalist, (9/9) Garbine Muguruza 76(4) 67(4) 62 in the 2nd round in what was the longest US Open women’s match since tiebreaks began in 1970 at 3 hours and 23 minutes long. Konta then went on to upset (18/18) Andrea Petkovic 76(2) 63 to become the first Brit since Laura Robson in 2012 to reach the 4th round here.

Kvitova and Konta have never played before. Kvitova looks sharper than ever but has never reached the quarters here before. Konta must hold her position on the baseline, serve well and maintain her composure, just as she did against Muguruza if she wants to push the former two time Wimbledon champion.

Though I think Kvitova will be pressed, I find it hard to see Konta edging it as she’s done thus far.

Prediction: Petra Kvitova

(22/22) Samantha Stosur vs (26/26) Flavia Pennetta

Stosur finds herself into the 4th round here for the first time since 2012 despite a lacklustre US Open series. In the 1st round, the Australian was forced to avenge a recent defeat in Cincinnati against Timea Babos and had her hands full against (16/16) Sara Errani in the 3rd round. Eventually, the 31 year old prevailed 75 26 61 for her first win over the Italian since Rome, 2012.

Pennetta seems to always do well at the US Open and now stands to reach her sixth quarter final in her past seven attempts. Though her summer has been rather uneventful, the 33 year old Italian has battled through three setters against Jarmila Gajdosova and Petra Cetkovska to reach this stage and will feel confident ahead of this match.

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The reason for this lies in her unbeaten 6-0 record against Stosur. Earlier this year, Pennetta won 64 62 in the 3rd round of Indian Wells and seems to handle Stosur’s heavy serve and forehand better than most.

Given the head to head and Pennetta’s recent history here, I have to give her the edge.

Prediction: Flavia Pennetta

(20/20) Victoria Azarenka vs (46/-) Varvara Lepchenko

Azarenka is slowly but surely working her way back to her best. Despite injuries impacting her recent career, there is no doubt that when the Belarusian is fit, she’s still world class. In the 3rd round, the 26 year old edged (11/11) Angelique Kerber 75 26 64 in what must be the best women’s match of the tournament thus far. The high intensity rallies and  number of winners (especially around the net) had the crowd on their feet. It was a shame one player had to lose!

Lepchenko has really got her form together this summer after a sparse first half of the year. She advanced to the semis in Stanford at the expense of Caroline Wozniacki and is now into her first Grand Slam 4th round since 2012. It hasn’t been easy for the naturalised American as she was forced to recover from 2-5 and set points down to beat in-form Lesia Tsurenko 76(7) 62 in the 2nd round. The 29 year old also had a slow start in the 3rd round against Mona Barthel, but just as she’d done in Stanford recovered to win 16 63 64.

Azarenka leads Lepchenko 3-1 in the head to head, winning 76(7) 64 in Birmingham this year. Though Lepchenko hasn’t beaten her since an ITF event in 2005, she obviously has the game to trouble Azarenka and will have the home crowd behind her.

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Despite this, I think the win against Kerber has sharpened Azarenka’s game, particularly against a lefty such as Lepchenko.

Prediction: Victoria Azarenka

(2/2) Simona Halep vs (24/24) Sabine Lisicki

Halep has been under the radar this tournament, cruising through her first three matches without the loss of a set. The 23 year old has avoided the disasters of this year’s French Open and Wimbledon to equal her best ever showing here from 2013. At worst, the Romanian dropped seven games against Kateryna Bondarenko in the 2nd round.

Lisicki finds herself into her first Grand Slam 4th round outside of Wimbledon since 2012. The 25 year old German was on the edge in the 3rd round, recovering from 1-5 down to beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 64 46 75.

Halep leads Lisicki 3-1 in their head to head, winning their last three matches on all three surfaces. The last time they played was at Wimbledon 2014 when Halep won their quarter final 64 60.

If she can win that easily on Lisicki’s best surface, I find it hard to see Halep not being much too consistent for Lisicki on a hard court.

Prediction: Simona Halep

Next: US Open: Women's 4th Round Predictions- Top Half

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