Wimbledon women's draw: Round of 16 Preview

Halfway through the tournament, Wimbledon has experienced its fair share of upsets and withdrawals. But as we head towards the 2nd week of the Championships, the battle for the Venus Rosewater Dish will only intensify further. Here is a preview of the round of 16 encounters from the Wimbledon Women’s Draw:

1) Kirsten Flipkens vs Flavia Pennetta (Head to Head: 1-1)

An unlikely matchup, Pennetta and Flipkens have both benefitted from the withdrawals and upsets to progress deep into the draw. Pennetta, ranked as low as 166, will have a tough task on her hands to improve on her 4th round performances in 2005 and 2006 at Wimbledon. However, a three-set win over Alize Cornet would surely bolster her confidence.

Last time these 2 met was in the first round of Roland Garros a month earlier, with Flipkens winning in 3 sets. This is going to be a close encounter with either player having a good chance of making it through to the quarters.

Prediction: Kirsten Flipkens wins in 3 sets.

2) Petra Kvitova vs Carla Suarez Navarro (Head to Head: 4-1)

Petra Kvitova

2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will have a tricky encounter against 19th seed Carla Suarez Navarro in the pre-quarterfinals. These two have faced each other twice in the past year on hard courts, with both players winning once. Kvitova had a tough 3rd round match against Ekatarina Makarova, with a night’s break helping her to rejuvenate and continue on in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Suarez Navarro defeated young Eugenie Bouchard to reach the round of 16. The Spaniard reached the semis of the warm up event for Wimbledon at Hertogenbosch, whereas Kvitova lost out in the 2nd round at Eastbourne. Overall, this will be a fairly even encounter between the two players.

Prediction: Kvitova wins in 3 sets.

3) Marion Bartoli vs Karin Knapp (Head to Head: 1-0)

Marion Bartoli

2007 finalist Marion Bartoli will face world number 104 Karin Knapp for a place in the quarterfinals. The 15th seed certainly cannot underestimate the Italian, who has overcome Lucie Safarova and the conqueror of Sharapova, Larcher Di Brito in the previous rounds and would be confident of causing another upset.

Bartoli and Knapp last met 5 years back with Bartoli easily winning in straight sets. If Bartoli plays to her potential, this should be an easy encounter for her.

Prediction: Bartoli wins in straight sets.

4) Sloane Stephens vs Monica Puig (First meeting)

Sloane Stephens

Playing her first Wimbledon, Puerto Rican youngster Monica Puig would certainly be the underdog going into this encounter with American Sloane Stephens. Puig created waves at SW19 by toppling fifth seed Sara Errani in the first round. Both Stephens and Puig have had to face some difficult 3 set encounters in the previous rounds. Sloane Stephens would be the favourite to progress through to the quarters.

Prediction: Stephens wins in straight sets.

5) Li Na vs Roberta Vinci (Head to Head: 3-0)

Li Na

2011 French Open champion Li Na would be up against the Italian Roberta Vinci for a place in the last 8 at Wimbledon. This encounter is the only match of the Wimbledon women’s draw going according to the initial seeding. These two have faced each other thrice, with Li Na winning on all 3 occasions.

Li Na is coming off a tough 3 setter against Klara Zakopalova in the 3rd round where she prevailed 8-6 in the final set. Vinci also has had her fair share of difficult encounters being stretched to 9-7 in the final set in the 2nd round against Jana Cepelova. Though, she defeated Dominica Cibulkova in clinical fashion in the 3rd round. All in all, this would be a good matchup between two evenly matched players.

Prediction: Li Na wins in 3 sets.

6) Agnieszka Radwanska vs Tsvetana Pironkova (Head to Head: 7-2)

Tsvetana Pironkova

Last year’s finalist Radwanska will have a tough encounter against Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova for a place in the last 8. Pironkova has an impressive record at SW19, reaching the semis in 2010 and the last 8 in 2011. Both these players have had a similar run up to now in the tournament with pretty straightforward victories in the earlier rounds and a 3 setter in the 3rd round.

These two have faced each other thrice on grass with the Pole winning twice. However, in their last meeting on grass at Eastbourne last year, the Bulgarian romped home to a straight sets victory. If both players play to their maximum potential, this match could certainly go the distance and would certainly be the match to watch out for in the 4th round.

Prediction: Pironkova wins in 3 tough sets.

7) Laura Robson vs Kaia Kanepi (First meeting)

Laura Robson

Last remaining British hope Laura Robson would be up against Estonian world number 46 Kaia Kanepi for a place in the quarterfinals. Laura Robson has had some difficult matches before this round coming back from the brink against Kiwi Marina Erakovic in the third round.

The first Brit in the 4th round in 16 years would have her task cut out against Kaia Kanepi, who has had her share of upsets knocking out 7th seeded German Angelique Kerber in the 2nd round. This could be a close encounter, with Robson probably going through with the home support that she would have on the court.

Prediction: Laura Robson wins in 3 sets.

8) Serena Williams vs Sabine Lisicki (Head to Head: 2-0)

Serena Williams

Defending champion Serena Williams will be up against a slippery customer in the form of German Sabine Lisicki. Lisicki has performed really well on the grass courts at Wimbledon, reaching the quarters twice and once reaching the semis. However, considering Serena’s form, this could well be a one-sided encounter.

Serena has not dropped a set en route to the round of 16 and is coming off a win in Paris. These two have met each other twice with the American prevailing on both occasions. The only thing Serena has to be careful of is to prevent a repeat of performances similar to the ones against Sloane Stephens in Melbourne or Kuznetsova in Paris.

If Serena plays to her form, it would be very difficult for the German to overturn her opponent.

Prediction: Serena Williams wins in 3 sets