The Copa Claro Colsanitas tennis tournament, the WTA Tour stop in Bogota, Colombia, heads into the quarterfinals, although one second-round match remains to be played. That’s where we’ll pick up our tennis picks.
Looking back to Wednesday’s action, we had another productive day on the courts. We went 2-0 with our tennis picks. We had Sara Errani to take care of business against Sachia Vickery and that’s exactly what happened. She ended up winning in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. We also had Francesca Schiavone to beat Dalila Jakupovic and she had no problems doing that. Jakupovic only managed to win three games in total as Schiavone took the match quickly in straight sets. We also had Kiki Bertens in our picks but her match never happened. It has been moved to tomorrow, so keep an eye on how that one plays out.
Looking ahead to Thursday, we’ll focus on the quarters. Here is a look at the three quarterfinal matches which are set along with our tennis picks:
Johanna Larsson vs. Sara Errani
Multiple quarterfinals of this tournament involve the same basic contrast: The seeded player is not necessarily the player who might feel more comfortable in the given set of circumstances. Larsson is seeded third, and she has played well, but Errani has mowed down her first few opponents and seems to be in a distinct groove. The repeated theme relating to Errani is that if her opponent can’t blow her off the court with pure power, she should hold the upper hand on clay, her best surface. Errani uses drop shots well on clay, which is a necessity for players who lack top-grade weapons and a big-league serve. Reasonable people can debate whether Larsson has enough weight of shot to overwhelm Errani, but that’s part of the point: One cannot say with great clarity that Larsson can punch above Errani’s weight. For that reason, Errani seems like the smarter pick, even though she is unseeded at this event in Bogota. Take Errani with your tennis picks.
Pick: Errani in three sets
Aleksandra Krunic vs. Lara Arruabarrena
This is a pick-‘em match, but it is noteworthy that Arruabarrena is a Spanish-speaking player in Latin America against Krunic, a Serbian. Arruabarrena doesn’t live in South America, but it is nevertheless an environment in which she can rather easily blend into the surroundings. The same cannot be said for Krunic, a young player who is trying to find her sea legs on tour. Locations don’t decide match outcomes on most occasions, but for professionals at different levels of experience, there is something to be said for being able to smoothly settle into a match and feel relaxed, fully capable of being able to deliver one’s best tennis. Arruabarrena is in a better position to play well. She is therefore the pick in what should be a close match. She’s the better choice for your tennis picks.
Pick: Arruabarrena in three sets
Magda Linette vs. Sara Sorribes Tormo
This is a match which is similar to each of the first two quarterfinals, only on a smaller scale of differentiation between the two players. Sorribes Tormo is not in Errani’s league, but she does fit the description of a player who is in her element on this surface, even though she is the unseeded player going up against the seeded player, Linette, who is fifth on the seed list at this tournament. There is an element of the second quarterfinal in that Sorribes Tormo, like Arruabarrena, is from Spain, going up against a player from Central Europe. Sorribes Tormo stands a better chance of playing comfortable, fluid tennis in this match. Is Linette an imposing enough player to assert herself and not allow Sorribes Tormo to establish a comfort zone? It’s easier to question Linette’s readiness to win this match than is the case for her opponent. Sorribes Tormo is the pick in a tight contest. All of the quarterfinals figure to be close, and this one is no exception. Take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Sorribes Tormo in three sets
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