WTA Oeiras Quarter-Final Predictions: Kuznetsova-Oprandi, Pavlyuchenkova-Vesnina

A pretty good day of predictions today in Oeiras and Munich; hoping I can keep it up with all three predicted finals still intact for this week...

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Romina Oprandi v Svetlana Kuznetsova
Svetlana Kuznetsova has been shunted out onto the outside courts in Estoril for her first two matches but gets prime billing for her quarter-final with Romina Oprandi tomorrow.  Kuznetsova knocked out Varvara Lepchenko in the first round and backed that up with a solid win over Galina Voskoboeva, 6-4 6-4.  Oprandi has had a great week so far with straight set wins over two very competent players in Kiki Bertens and Peng Shuai.  I think this will be a tight match with both playing reasonably well at the minute and comfortable on the clay.  Kuznetsova leads the head-to-head by 3 wins to 0 although they haven't played since 2007.  Both have a tendency to get tight in close situations, but I think Kuznetsova will stick around for longer and get the W...

Prediction - Kuznetsova to beat Oprandi in 3 sets

Elena Vesnina v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

The top half has a distinctively Russian feel as Elena Vesnina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova meet in an all-seeded second quarter.  Vesnina recovered deficits in both sets to beat the tricky Monica Niculescu, 6-4 6-4.  Pavlyuchenkova has had a very good week because she has managed to win two matches in straight sets! Neither were that straightforward, but she got the job done and is always at her most dangerous in the latter stages of tournaments.  Pavlyuchenkova leads the head-to-head, but both their previous matches have gone to three sets; their last was an epic final in Istanbul where Vesnina blew a huge lead to allow Nastia to win the title.  I like Pavlyuchenkova's chances this week and under the watchful gaze of Martina Hingis, things appear to be on the way up following a tough couple of months...

Prediction - Pavlyuchenkova to beat Vesnina in 2 tight sets

Best of the rest: womens quarter-final predictions

Carla Suarez Navarro to beat Monica Puig in 2 tight sets

Kaia Kanepi to beat Ayumi Morita in 2 sets 

Best of the rest: ATP Munich 2nd round predictions
Mayer to beat Matosevic in 2 tight sets
Haas to beat Gulbis in 3 sets *interesting match!*
Tipsarevic to beat Zemlja in 2 tight sets
Brands to beat Monfils in 3 sets
   
The rest of the second round predictions for ATP Oeiras can be found on yesterday's post.