Wednesday will host the first two ATP singles quarterfinals, as well as the last two WTA quarterfinals.
The WTA singles quarterfinals on Wednesday include three Major champions, and a Major finalist who is currently playing the best tennis of her career. And all four are some of the sport’s most aggressive ball strikers. In the afternoon, two-time Australian Open champ Aryna Sabalenka squares off against Roland Garros champ Jelena Ostapenko. In the evening, another two-time Aussie Open champ, Victoria Azarenka, takes on Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins.
Also, the ATP singles quarterfinals commence on Wednesday. They feature a matchup between two of the ATP’s top 10 performers of the year, Sascha Zverev and Taylor Fritz, as well as one between two men looking for their first Masters 1000 semifinal, Alejandro Tabilo and Zhizhen Zhang.
Throughout the tournament, this preview will analyze the day’s two most prominent matches, while highlighting the other notable matches on the schedule. Wednesday’s singles quarterfinals begin at 1:00pm local time.
Jelena Ostapenko (9) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Not Before 1:00pm on Center Court
Within the past three weeks, Sabalenka is now 8-1, with her only loss coming in a dramatic final against World No.1 Iga Swiatek in Madrid. But seven of those nine matches have gone three sets, and it appears all that tennis has taken a toll on Aryna. She was treated multiple times during her fourth round match against Elina Svitolina for back issues, yet still prevailed in a third-set tiebreak.
Ostapenko also required a third-set tiebreak to win her fourth round match, against qualifier Rebecca Sramkova. Jelena got off to a hot start in 2024, taking 14 of her first 16 matches. However, she has significantly cooled off in recent months, as this is the first tournament where she’s won three matches since early February.
Sabalenka has claimed both of her prior encounters with Ostapenko, which occurred on hard courts. In this matchup between perhaps the WTA’s most aggressive baseliners, the player who can better manage their unforced error count will likely prevail. And despite her back issues, I give the edge to Aryna, as she’s continually pulled out tight matches against top players during this clay court season.
Victoria Azarenka (24) vs. Danielle Collins (13) – Not Before 7:00pm on Center Court
Collins’ form since announcing this will be her last season on tour has been phenomenal. She has now won 26 of her last 30 matches at all levels, dating back three months to the beginning of qualifying in Doha. And even more impressively, since the start of the Miami Open, she is 18-1, with two titles. And most of her victories have been in completely dominant fashion, including this fortnight where she has not dropped a set. “The Danimal” is now vying for her third WTA 1000 semifinal, and her first outside of Miami.
Azarenka has quietly compiled a record this year of 20-8, with only two semifinal appearances to date (Brisbane, Miami). She won two three-setters to start this event, before comfortably taking out Maria Sakkari in the last round with the loss of just five games. Vika is now 28-12 lifetime in Rome, where she was a finalist all the way back in 2013. However, she has lost her last three quarterfinals at Foro Italico.
These players have split two previous meetings, both on hard courts. And this is their first matchup in five years, so their history does not provide much evidence regarding Wednesday’s outcome. But each player’s recent history likely does, and based on the way Collins has been steamrolling the competition, I’m picking the American to advance to the semifinals.
Other Notable Matches on Wednesday:
Alejandro Tabilo (29) vs. Zhizhen Zhang – This is a first Masters 1000 quarterfinal for Tabilo, who upset Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov in the last two rounds. Zhizhen reached this same round a year ago in Madrid, and has now equaled that feat thanks to victories over Adrian Mannarino and Ben Shelton. When these two met in qualifying for Wimbledon in 2021, Zhang won via two close sets.
Sascha Zverev (3) vs. Taylor Fritz (11) – Zverev is yet to drop a set, while Fritz outlasted Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday in three. Sascha is 4-3 against Taylor, though they have never played on clay.
Wednesday’s full Order of Play is here.
