Three quarter-final picks from Madrid today, and it's a decent set of matchups to dig into. We've got a couple of closely ranked players going at it and one match where the rankings tell a very different story from the name on the scoresheet.
WTA Madrid Open Predictions
Leylah Annie Fernandez vs Mirra Andreeva
Head-to-head: Fernandez 1-1 Andreeva
The head-to-head is perfectly split, but Andreeva is the one playing the better tennis right now and at 17 years old she's already become so good at not panicking in long clay-court rallies, which is exactly what this surface demands. Fernandez is dangerous and always scrappy, but clay isn't where she does her best work and Andreeva's consistency from the baseline makes her a tough puzzle to solve in a long match.
I think Andreeva gets through this, though Fernandez will make her work for it and a third set wouldn't surprise anyone.
Prediction: Andreeva in 3
Marta Kostyuk vs Linda Noskova
Head-to-head: Kostyuk 1-0 Noskova
Noskova's game is built around pace and a big forehand, and on a slower clay surface in Madrid that weapon loses some of its sting. Kostyuk is ranked lower but she's a composed clay-court competitor and she's already beaten Noskova once before, so there's no psychological edge for the Czech here. That said, Noskova has the ranking and the power, but the conditions suit Kostyuk and this feels like a match that goes the distance.
Prediction: Kostyuk in 3
Karolina Pliskova vs Anastasia Potapova
Head-to-head: Pliskova 1-0 Potapova
Pliskova at 197 in the world reaching a Madrid quarter-final is a real story and she clearly still knows how to serve and take her chances on this surface. But Potapova is 143 places higher in the rankings for a reason and has been the more consistent player over the past year. That H2H win for Pliskova came in a very different period of both their careers, and Potapova, who has looked sharp throughout this tournament, should have enough to see this one through.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Irina R. Hipolito/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire