Washington & Carlsbad Quarter-Final Predictions: Dimitrov-Haas, Ivanovic-Vinci and more

1. Grigor Dimitrov v Tommy Haas (ATP Washington, QF)

Tommy Haas

My Washington predictions have gone wildly astray this week as I thought Juan Martin del Potro might struggle in his first event back after Wimbledon, but it has been quite the opposite as he comfortably saw off Ryan Harrison and Bernard Tomic yesterday.  Another player I didn't forsee in having a good week was Grigor Dimitrov, who comfortably saw off Sam Querrey, 6-3 6-2 to set up an intriguing quarter-final with Tommy Haas.  It is another quarter-final for Tommy, an 11th in 2013, but it hasn't been a week of plain sailing.  He has been pushed to three sets in both his matches against Tim Smyczek and Ivan Dodig and according to my Twitter feed overnight, he sounded like he had some injury issues in his match with Dodig.  Therefore, I think that Dimitrov, who has gained some renewed confidence this week will win this one.

Prediction - Dimitrov to beat Haas in 2 sets

2. Ana Ivanovic v Roberta Vinci (WTA Carlsbad, QF)

Seeding has prevailed for two of the quarter-finals in Carlsbad including this one between Ana Ivanovic and Roberta Vinci.  After recently splitting with Nigel Sears, I thought Ivanovic might struggle this week, but she has competed well, particularly in the first round where she recovered from losing the first set to beat the Stanford champion, Dominika Cibulkova.  It may have been the case that Cibulkova was tiring after her exploits in Stanford, but it was still a gritty win from the Serb.  Next up is Roberta Vinci, who rather silently, took out Bethanie Mattek-Sands in straight sets.  Ivanovic leads the head-to-head by 5 wins to 3, but what is most disconcerting for her is that the last time she played Vinci in Montreal just last year, she was double bagelled.  Vinci has had a really great year, offering up solid 4th round showings in the last two Slams and winning Palermo.  I fancy Vinci to take this one...

Prediction - Vinci to beat Ivanovic in 3 sets

3. Angelique Kerber v Magdalena Rybarikova (WTA Washington, QF)

I must say once again that the scheduling at the Citi Open is nothing short of ludicrous.  How they can justify putting a match between Dmitry Tursunov and Marinko Matosevic on the Stadium court above this match between the number one seed and last year's champion is beyond me.  Magdalena Rybarikova has required two three setters to reach the quarters, but her results at this tournament indicate that the surface suits her game well.  Angelique Kerber overcame a tight first set with Melanie Oudin before breaking the American's spirit in the second with a 7-5 6-0 victory.  The pair have never played, but I expect a tough match for Kerber.  Still, I am backing the German player for the Washington title...

Prediction - Kerber to beat Rybarikova in 2 tight sets

Best of the rest: ATP Washington quarter-final predictions

Juan Martin del Potro to beat Kevin Anderson in 2 tight sets

Dmitry Tursunov to beat Marinko Matosevic in 3 sets

John Isner to beat Marcos Baghdatis in 3 sets

Best of the rest: WTA Washington quarter-final predictions

Ekaterina Makarova to beat Monica Niculescu in 2 sets

Sorana Cirstea to beat Alize Cornet in 3 sets

Andrea Petkovic to beat Paula Ormaechea in 2 tight sets

Best of the rest: WTA Carlsbad quarter-final predictions

Victoria Azarenka to beat Urszula Radwanska in 2 sets

Petra Kvitova to beat Virginie Razzano in 2 tight sets

Agnieszka Radwanska to beat Sam Stosur in 3 sets