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Halep is our pick of the Monteal QFs

Ros Satar
Tennis

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By Ros Satar

  • Angelique Kerber [2] v Daria Kasatkina
  • Simona Halep [5] v Svetlana Kuznetsova [9]
  • Madison Keys [10] v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [16]
  • Johanna Konta [15] v Kristina Kucova [Q]
MONTREAL, CANADA – Highest seed standing Angelique Kerber leads a packed quarter-final line-up at the Coupes Rogers.

 

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Angelique Kerber [2] v Daria Kasatkina – First Meeting

This has been a rough old ride for Kerber, who is still not quite over an elbow injury that she picked up in Bastad in that strange witching time between grass and the hard court summer, where clay court events creep back into the calendar.

Yet prevail she did against Elina Svitolina, having to fight from a set down to clinch her place in the final.

She will face the Russian 19-year-old who has soared up the rankings this year with some very strong consistent performances as she dispatched seventh seed Roberta Vinci for her place in her fourth quarter-final of the year.

She has a lot of variety to her game and she will try and disrupt any rhythm that Kerber wants to impose but the German can just as easily revert to her defensive capabilities and just grind her opponent down.

Either way, Kerber’s elbow probably will not be getting much of a chance to rest and recuperate.

Prediction: Kerber in three sets.

 

Simona Halep [5] v Svetlana Kuznetsova [9] – H2H: 3-3

Halep really seems to be hitting her stride again on the hard courts as she fronts up agaist Kuznetsova for the seventh time in their careers. The Romanian was in very commanding form to reach the quarter-final, nullifying the big serving Karolina Pliskova. However the Russian veteran has been enjoying a solid run of form herself at the moment, and she was impressive against her own big-serving Czech foe, getting past Petra Kvitova in straight sets.

This could be the pick of the quarter-finals with Kuznetsova having the most recent win over Halep in the Sydney semi-finals and one of their toughest battles yet.

Prediction: Halep in three sets.

 

Madison Keys [10] v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [16] – First meeting

Keys triumphed in a tough match against a Montreal favourite, Venus Williams, and lines up a first time match-up against Russia’s Pavlyuchenkova. Keys has had a great year, and an event better start to the US hard court season with commanding wins before having to fight past Williams.

But if it is resurgence we are looking for, the Russian has really turned her fortunes around this year. Wimbledon was the first time she had been able to put together back to back wins this season, and she has carried that on here in Montreal.

Both have shown steady momentum but the nature of the fighting spirit shown by Pavlyuchenkova against fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska was impressive enough and if she keeps this momentum, she will push Keys extremely hard.

Prediction: Keys in three sets.

 

Johanna Konta [15] v Kristina Kucova [Q]

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