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Quarterfinal spots are up for the taking on Day 4 of the 2024 Linz Open.
Three seeded players have already been eliminated, with Jasmine Paolini, Varvara Gracheva, and Petra Martic all stumbling at the very first hurdle. Former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber was also one of the players to bow out early.
Jelena Ostapenko, who took a last-minute wildcard to compete here, will take to the court on Thursday (February 1) against Clara Tauson. Other big names in the mix include Elise Mertens, Anastasia Potapova, and Dayana Yastremska.
On that note, here's a look at the predictions for some of the key matches scheduled for the day:
#1 - Donna Vekic vs Dayana Yastremska
Vekic's campaign at the Linz Open will get underway on Thursday after a first-round bye. She previously won both of her singles ties at the United Cup, though Croatia didn't make it past the group stage.
Vekic then lost 6-4, 6-4 to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round of the Australian Open. As for Yastremska, she made it to the last four in Melbourne, that too as a qualifier.
The Ukrainian continued her good run of form to defeat Erika Andreeva 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-2 in the first round here. Yastremska and Vekic have clashed five times before, and the former has a 3-2 advantage in the rivalry.
Yastremska won their first three matches, all on hardcourts, while Vekic won the next two, one each on clay and grass. The Ukrainian is in great form at the moment and her game is much more lethal on hardcourts. As such, she'll be expected to advance further.
Predicted winner: Dayana Yastremska
#2 - Elise Mertens vs Lucia Bronzetti
Mertens claimed the women's doubles title at the Australian Open but lost in the second round of singles. Prior to that, she finished as the runner-up to Emma Navarro at the Hobart International. She was the recipient of a first-round bye at the Linz Open.
Bronzetti made light work of three-time Major champion Angelique Kerber in her Linz opener, as she beat the German 6-1, 6-3. It marked just her second victory of the season.
Bronzetti's 1-11 record against top-30 opposition makes her an underdog in this match-up. While she played at a pretty decent level against Kerber, the latter is still in the early stages of her comeback. If Mertens isn't too tired after her trip from Melbourne, she should be able to get through this clash.
Predicted winner: Elise Mertens
#3 - Anastasia Potapova vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Potapova made it to the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International but an injury forced her to retire halfway through her match against Elena Rybakina. Kaja Juvan then dumped her out in the first round of the Australian Open.
Potapova commenced her title defense at the Linz Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Sara Errani. Cocciaretto faced compatriot Lucrezia Stefanini in her opener, and hammered her opponent 6-2, 6-0.
The two have split their previous two meetings evenly. Cocciaretto got the upper hand at the 2022 Guadalajara Open, while Potapova came out on top at the 2023 Italian Open. Both matches were quite one-sided affairs.
However, Cocciaretto is yet to best a top 30 player on hardcourt. She hasn't strung together consecutive wins this year either. Potapova's injury played a part in her Australian Open setback, but seems to be fine now. The Russian will be expected to carry on with her title defense here.
Predicted winner: Anastasia Potapova
#4 - Katerina Siniakova vs Clara Burel
Siniakova staged a comeback to down eighth seed Petra Martic 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the Linz Open. Burel, meanwhile, cruised to a 6-1, 6-4 win over Sinja Kraus in the opening round.
Burel made headlines with her stunning upset win over fifth seed Jessica Pegula in the second round of the Australian Open 2024. The Frenchwoman's results have been a tad bit better than Siniakova's, who's had better luck in doubles.
Siniakova got better and better as the match progressed against Martic. She was made to work hard for her win but remained focused to get the job done. If she maintains this level, getting past Burel is very much possible, though it won't be an easy task given the latter's form.
Predicted winner: Katerina Siniakova
