WTA Indian Wells Day 7 Predictions

The fourth round will start on Day 7 of the WTA BNP Paribas Open, and the top half of the draw will be in action. This half is stacked, with only one unseeded player amongst the eight. In the day’s headline match, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Which players will advance to the quarterfinals?

WTA Indian Wells Day 7 Predictions

Alexandra Eala vs Linda Noskova

Head-to-Head: first meeting

Both players got revenge on their third-round opponents after losing to them in Dubai. Alexandra Eala advanced as the #4 seed Coco Gauff retired in the second set due to injury. Eala looked prepared to take on the American and was playing aggressive tennis in the small sample of games. Linda Noskova came back from a set down and must be thrilled with the victory against a stern opponent. This is the first encounter between these two talented young players, and I am leaning towards Eala because of her superior returning ability. The massive crowd support Eala gets could also become a factor.

Prediction: Eala in 3

Jasmine Paolini vs Talia Gibson

Head-to-Head: first meeting

Qualifier Talia Gibson is having the best tournament of her young career as she has knocked out two top-20 players to book her place in the fourth round. She has also secured a top 100 entry with this run and will look to keep riding with the momentum. Ajla Tomljanovic played some good tennis to push Jasmine Paolini to three sets, but the Italian maintained her level in the third while Tomljanovic couldn’t. This is Paolini’s third consecutive fourth-round appearance at the BNP Paribas Open, but she has never advanced to the quarterfinals. Gibson will need to have her best serving day to have a chance here.

Prediction: Paolini in 3

Amanda Anisimova vs Victoria Mboko

Head-to-Head: first meeting

This is a matchup many players were looking forward to when the draw came out, and both players looked great in the third round. Amanda Anisimova completely dominated Emma Raducanu and won in under an hour. Victoria Mboko wasn’t far away, winning against Anna Kalinskaya in 64 minutes. Mboko is great at redirecting pace, so it will be interesting to see how she handles Anisimova’s power. The teenager is improving at a rapid rate, but I will go with the firepower of Anisimova this time.

Prediction: Anisimova in 3

Aryna Sabalenka vs Naomi Osaka

Head-to-Head: Sabalenka 0-1 Osaka

This is a matchup between two of the best hard-court players of the last decade as these two four-time Grand Slam champions face each other for only the second time. Their first meeting came in 2018, when Naomi Osaka won in three sets. However, the dynamics have changed significantly since then, as Sabalenka is now at her peak and is the stronger and more consistent player of the two. I think Osaka will be up for this match and can match Sabalenka if her serve is firing. However, I trust Sabalenka’s mental strength more.

Prediction: Sabalenka in 3

Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images

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