The WTA Rome Round of 32 matches get underway on Day 5 in Rome. Four-time Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek are among the players in action and their matches are predicted in this article. We at LWOT predict the other Day 5 WTA Rome in a separate article, including Coco Gauff vs Jaqueline Cristian. Which players do you expect to win?
WTA Rome Day 5 Predictions
Linda Noskova vs Qinwen Zheng
Head-to-head: Zheng 1-0 Noskova
Zheng reached this stage in a more convincing manner than her opponent. She hammered Shelby Rogers in the last round, while Noskova struggled at times in her win against Lucrezia Stefanini. Both players possess powerful games, but Zheng is more comfortable on clay at her best. She moves better on the dirt and her loopy topspin forehand is less of a liability on the surface. This year’s Australian Open runner-up is capable of exposing Noskova’s movement on clay to progress.
Prediction: Noskova in 2
Sorana Cirstea vs Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-head: Cirstea 3-1 Vondorusova
Cirstea has won the last three meetings between these two. However, they were all tight matches and none were on clay. The Romanian is at her most dangerous when she has time on her shots, which 2023 Wimbledon champion Vondrousova will give her. A source of hope for the Czech is that her craftiness is more likely to work on clay, with her drop shot likely to be an important stroke in this matchup. This is a tough contest to call, but Vondrousova is backed to stop her losing run against Cirstea by the narrowest of margins.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 3
Iga Swiatek vs Yulia Putintseva
Head-to-head: Swiatek 3-0 Putintseva
Putintseva is in excellent form. After a strong North American hard court swing, she was one point away from reaching the semifinal in Madrid against Elena Rybakina, before dismantling Sloane Stephens in the opening round in Rome. Nonetheless, her chances are very slim here. Swiatek won their three previous meetings on hard courts very comfortably. Putintseva might be slightly more competitive on clay by using her excellent drop shot, which will take the world No. 1 into an area of the court she does not like as much. But that will not be enough to stop Swiatek triumphing again.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
Naomi Osaka vs Daria Kasatkina
Head-to-head: Osaka 1-0 Kasatkina
These two have not played since the 2018 Indian Wells Open final. Osaka’s opening two matches in Rome have been very encouraging on her least favourite surface. Kasatkina does sometimes get overwhelmed by very powerful players like Osaka. Despite this, her best chance of beating Osaka is on clay. Her heavy spins and superb athleticism could expose Osaka’s weaker movement on the dirt. This should be an entertaining match, but Kasatkina’s grit and tactical acumen may just give her the edge in Rome.
Prediction: Kasatkina in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
