WTA Ningbo Semifinal Predictions Including Rybakina vs Shnaider
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It is semifinal day at the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo as we have two exciting matches to look forward to, with each player potentially just four sets of tennis away from the title. World No. 1 Elena Rybakina will undoubtedly headline the way , but that won’t be all, as on their day, every player will feel confident of winning the title. As always, we here at LWOT will be predicting each match for you, but who do you think will make the final?
Head-to-head: Fernandez 0-1 Bouzkova
Both of these players faced off in 2019, when Marie Bouzkova completely suffocated the young Leylah Fernandez in a straight-sets win. Now, both players have improved their level quite a bit from then, but their styles remain similar.
Bouzkova is a willing counterpuncher, relying on her defensive skills to grind out points and frustrate her opponents. Fernandez is the more aggressive of the two players, using her lefty baseline game and not shying away from redirecting shots whenever given the chance. Fernandez has had to play three sets in every encounter this tournament so far, while Bouzkova has been far more efficient, not even dropping a set. That difference in mileage, against a player who does not mind making matches physical, might very well be the deciding factor here. Prediction: Bouzkova in 3
Head-to-head: Rybakina 2-0 Shnaider
In this heavyweight contest, Diana Shnaider takes her lefty, variety-filled game up against the No. 1-ranked player in the world , Elena Rybakina.
On a hard court, Rybakina’s game has the stylistic advantages, given her big serve and powerful baseline game. But it will be key to see how motivated the Kazakh will be if this match gets tough, as her No. 1 ranking is already secured past this tournament. Shnaider has shown this year that she can beat the best players in the world, and if she makes this physical and gets into the return games, I can see her pulling off the upset. Prediction: Shnaider in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images