Alexandra Eala vs Maria Sakkari Prediction, WTA Hong Kong Semifinal Betting Tips

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The WTA Hong Kong Open has reached the last four and there is a genuinely interesting mix of players left standing. Two seeds and two unseeded players have made it through, and the contrasting paths they have each taken to get here makes for a compelling semifinal day. Here are my thoughts on how both matches will play out.

Claire Liu vs Alexandra Shubladze

This will be a first meeting between the two players, so there is no head to head record to lean on. What we do know is that Alexandra Shubladze has been the absolute revelation of this tournament. The 21 year old Russian came through qualifying and has not looked back since, producing the kind of run that reminds you why watching these smaller events matters. Her finest moment came in the quarterfinals when she knocked out top seed Sorana Cirstea in straight sets, the biggest scalp of her career to date. Whatever happens in the semis, Shubladze walks away with a new career high ranking and a whole lot of confidence.

Claire Liu, though, is a completely different proposition to anyone Shubladze has faced this week. Liu has been in superb form throughout the draw and has not dropped a set, including a comfortable win over Zeynep Sonmez in the last eight. She is operating at a level where her ball striking and consistency are making opponents look ordinary. Shubladze deserves enormous credit for her run, but Liu has the experience, the solidity, and the current form to handle a qualifier on a hot streak. I expect Liu to get the job done, though Shubladze will make her work for it.

Alexandra Eala vs Maria Sakkari

This is another first meeting between two players who have both had very different weeks in Hong Kong. Eala came through her quarterfinal against Antonia Ruzic but it was not pretty. It was a grinding straight sets match that went on far longer than the scoreline might suggest, with lengthy games and real physical demands throughout. She showed fight and character, but she will need to recover well before stepping back on court. Sakkari, by contrast, got through her quarterfinal in considerably more straightforward fashion and will arrive in the semis fresher and with more rhythm in her game.

Eala is undoubtedly capable of raising her level and I think she will be sharper here than she was in the previous round. But Sakkari has looked assured all week and there is one clear vulnerability in Eala’s game that concerns me: her serve has been a liability at times and Sakkari is exactly the kind of player who will hunt that down and make her pay. With the experience, the form, and that tactical edge in her favour, I see Sakkari advancing to what would be her second final of the season.

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