By Jake Davies
- Venus Williams [10] vs Jelena Ostapenko [13]
- Garbiñe Muguruza [14] vs Svetlana Kuznetsova [7]
- Magdalena Rybarikova vs Coco Vandeweghe [24]
LONDON, UK – After the excitement of Manic Monday, the ladies are in action once more as it is quarter-finals day, with five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams leading the charge.
CLICK TO BUY FROM THE WIMBLEDON ONLINE STORE
Venus Williams [10] vs Jelena Ostapenko [13] H2H: First meeting
Venus Williams, at 37-years-old is the oldest player to advance to the Wimbledon quarter-finals since Martina Navratilova in 1994, but the five-time Wimbledon champion will still feel she is one of the main contenders to lift the Venus Rosewater dish on Saturday. Standing in her way to progressing into the Last Four is reigning Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Ostapenko may lack the experience that Venus has amassed over the years, but the Latvian has been tearing through the field and is on an 11 match win streak at Grand Slam level. She is not only winning matches comfortably, but she is surviving those titanic tussles that show signs of a great champion when they come through those nail-biting matches consistently.
It is the first meeting between these two. I would think that Williams does not know an awful lot about Ostapenko, but in Venus’ mind it will be essential to focus on her game and concentrate on the things she does well and ways she can expose the frailties in Ostapenko’s game.
Prediction: Venus in three sets.
Garbiñe Muguruza [14] vs Svetlana Kuznetsova [7] H2H: Muguruza leads 3-1
The 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbiñe Muguruza has displayed sizzling form over the course of the first four rounds at this year’s Championships. She faced and overcame some difficult moments in that stellar victory over World No.1 Angelique Kerber, where she really made a statement to the rest of the field. She is feeling more confident as she gains more matches on the grass courts.
Svetlana Kuznetsova should be a difficult match, even on the grass. Muguruza has won the last three matches against the Russian and the match is very much on her racquet. Both players have been known for their flakiness under pressure, so the match will really be decided by which player can handle the unique and rare occasion of a Grand Slam quarter-final.
Prediction: Muguruza in two sets
Magdalena Rybarikova vs Coco Vandeweghe [24] H2H: Rybarikova leads 2-0
The fairytale story of Magdalena Rybarikova has been one of the more pleasing individual journeys of the Championships. She fell outside the Top 400 and suffered with an accumulation of knee and wrist injuries that required multiple surgeries. In 2017 she has made up for lost time but charging through most of her opposition, climbing back into the World’s Top 80 and making her first ever Grand Slam Quarter-Final. A break away from the game can really test how much a player really appreciates and values the highs and lows of a tennis career. Rybarikova’s story is no different.
Rybarikova next faces former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Coco Vandeweghe, who seems to get better on this particular surface each and every year. She is a naturally confident player that believes in her abilities to the fullest, which makes her a dangerous prospect for anybody and I think Vandeweghe really is not that far from a major Grand Slam triumph.
Again, Vandeweghe will dictate the majority of the rallies and will be the more direct behind her first serve, but Rybarikova’s backhand slice has bought her many victories throughout the first four rounds and it should be intriguing to see how the American feels with the different pace on the ball from that particular wing. I think Vandeweghe will just about edge this one.
Prediction: Vandeweghe in two tight sets
CLICK TO BUY PRO TENNIS GEAR
| Follow Britwatch - Sport in General, Brits in Particular! | |
|---|---|
| Soundcloud | |
| YouTube | |
| We may receive compensation for products purchased via affiliate links on this website | |