Two British players in quarter-final action at the HSBC Championships in London, and we've got predictions for both matches. It's a good day to be a home fan, so let's see if Raducanu and Boulter can deliver.
WTA The HSBC Championships - London Predictions
Emma Raducanu vs Kamilla Rakhimova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Raducanu on home grass is a different animal, and after everything she's been through with injuries and ranking slides, she's been quietly building momentum on this surface where she's always looked most natural. Rakhimova is a solid baseline player but grass has never been her best environment and there's nothing in her recent results that suggests she can trouble Raducanu here in front of a home crowd.
That said, Raducanu's matches have a habit of going three sets regardless of how well she's playing, and I think that's probably how this one ends too. But she gets through.
Prediction: Raducanu in 3
Katie Boulter vs Donna Vekic
Head-to-head: Boulter 1-0 Vekic
Boulter holds the only head-to-head meeting and grass suits her flat, aggressive game better than almost any surface on tour. Vekic is no slouch on grass and has had some good runs at Wimbledon, so this won't be easy, and at rankings of 73 and 76 these two are genuinely close on paper. The serve will be the difference. Boulter's delivery, which has looked particularly sharp this week, is a real weapon on this surface and she's comfortable closing out matches when she gets a lead.
Boulter in three, and she should have enough on this surface, all things considered.
Prediction: Boulter in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire