The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament has reached the quarterfinals and so have our tennis picks. We’re coming off a mixed day of results where we went 1-2 with our picks in Germany. We lost with Andrea Petkovic, who lost to Agnieszka Radwanska. It didn’t cost us a lot but we still would have rather had the win. Petkovic started with a bang, winning the first set 6-1, but she only won three games the rest of the way. We also lost with Ana Ivanovic, who didn’t put up much of a fight against Karolina Pliskova. She only ended up winning a total of six games in the entire match. As for our lone win on Thursday, Roberta Vinci cashed in for us. She had a relatively easy match as she topped Julia Goerges 6-3, 6-4.
So which players will earn semifinal berths a week before the bigger tour stops in Madrid and then Rome? Here is a look at our tennis picks for Friday.
Garbine Muguruza vs. Petra Kvitova
Betting Odds: Muguruza -208
This match is a highlight of the day’s schedule in Stuttgart. Muguruza is the number three seed at this tournament, and Kvitova is number five. These are both world-class players, Kvitova a two-time Wimbledon champion, and Muguruza a Wimbledon finalist. Both players have made semifinals at other Grand Slam events. The indoor conditions help Kvitova, because she historically suffers in very sunny and hot environments. She likes things calmer and cooler. Muguruza would probably prefer to play this match outdoors and not indoors, but she is very comfortable on clay, as shown by a smooth 6-2, 6-2 win in the previous round over Timea Babos. This is probably going to go three sets, but as much as Kvitova might like the conditions, Muguruza should be able to establish a comfort zone and hit the ball the way she wants to. Give the edge to the third seed from Spain and take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Muguruza in three sets
Roberta Vinci vs. Laura Siegemund
Betting Odds: Vinci -122
This is a matchup in which Siegemund might be on the better run of form, but Vinci has more experience and court craft, and can steer this match in the direction she wants. Siegemund blitzed Simona Halep, 6-1 and 6-2, in a second-round shocker. This could catapult the German forward in a home-nation tournament, but one of the things which is always worth noting about big upsets is that the lower-ranked players who accomplish such surprises often have a tough time bouncing back the next day. Siegemund will face this challenge, and Vinci is a smart veteran who can frustrate opponents with her change of pace and the ability to hit a different kind of shot time after time during a point. Vinci will probably be able to get through this match, which should be close. Go with Vinci with your tennis picks.
Pick: Vinci in three sets
Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Karolina Pliskova
Betting Odds: Radwanska -294
This is a match which feels like something close to a toss-up. It’s very hard to judge Radwanska’s form. She lost the first set of her second-round match to Andrea Petkovic, 6-1. However, she then won the next two sets, 6-1 and 6-2, to take the match. Should her poor performance in the first set be taken as a sign of erratic tendencies, or were the last two sets proof that she’s straightened herself out? Petkovic is a player who runs hot and cold, so this could be a commentary on Radwanska’s opponent more than anything else.
Pliskova steamrolled Ana Ivanovic. On one hand, the result is not too surprising, because Ivanovic is always unpredictable and often vulnerable to early-round burnouts in tournaments. Yet, Pliskova did make the semifinals of Indian Wells and is showing at times how good she can be.
What comes up as a potential decider is that Radwanska did have to miss a tournament earlier in April due to injury concerns. She might not be 100 percent, in which Pliskova has to become a better choice. Take Pliskova in three for your tennis picks.
Pick: Pliskova in three sets
Want to give your comments about this article? You can either leave them here or you can join us on the Get More Sports Forum and talk about this article and many more! Brag about your favorite team, argue about an athlete’s performance or tell us about a game you saw. Join a new community of sports fans who live and breathe sports and sports entertainment. It’s free! Join now!
