WTA Indian Wells 4th Round Predictions: Stosur/Barthel and Wozniacki/Petrova

I have found a bit of spare time to preview the best of the womens 4th rounders as all eight matches will take place tonight in Indian Wells!

Sam Stosur

1. Sam Stosur v Mona Barthel

The second section remains wide open and the young German, Mona Barthel remains in the hunt for her best tour result to date as she defeated Ana Ivanovic in a lopsided third rounder, 6-1 3-6 6-0.  By all accounts, it was a flat performance from Ivanovic, but it was a very solid performance by Barthel who now takes on Sam Stosur.  The Aussie started like a house on fire in her third round match against the rather forgotten, Peng Shuai, taking a 4-0 first set lead, but she was forced to fight for her place in the last 16, eventually sealing the deal with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win.  

Barthel and Stosur have never met before and this will be a very intriguing match-up.  Stosur likes these courts in Indian Wells because of their pace and high bounce, but Barthel will be no slouch and can hit winners from all angles on the court.  I think this will be a very tough match for both players, but I have a feeling this could be Mona's breakthrough tournament...

Prediction - Barthel to beat Stosur in 3 sets

2. Caroline Wozniacki v Nadia Petrova

Comfortable straight set wins was the order of the day for Caroline Wozniacki and Nadia Petrova on Monday as both players won their third round matches for the loss of just three games.  Wozniacki took out Elena Vesnina, taking advantage from a string of loose errors from the Russian.  I like Vesnina's game and she hits the ball beautifully at times, but she was not on her A-game yesterday.  Petrova had her best win of 2013 and appears to be gathering steam as she destroyed Julia Goerges.  Wozniacki had owned Petrova in the head-to-head between 2010 and 2011 with four straight wins, but Petrova turned the tables on the Dane in the season-ending tournament in Sofia last year with a 6-2 6-1 demolition in the final.  Petrova can easily knock Woz off the court, but its whether her mental game can stand up to the Dane's far superior fighting spirits.  I shall go for the upset, but expect much more of a battle than their last match-up.

Prediction - Petrova to beat Wozniacki in 3 sets

I must say the line-up of matches for the Eurosport coverage has been completely dire and the best matches will once again be missed.  I would have liked to have watched both of the matches above but not to be!