Anastasia Potapova and Caroline Garcia meet in the quarterfinal of the 2023 tennis Stuttgart Open. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
Anastasia Potapova is coming off a straight set win over Coco Gauff that took 17 games to decide. In the victory, Potapova won 82 percent of her first serve points and 59 percent of her second serve points. Potapova won 73 percent of her total service points and converted on 3 of her 13 break points. Potapova got 60 percent of her first serves in play and saved all 6 of her break points. Potapova is putting together possibly her best year yet, and that includes winning 5 of her last 6 matches overall. Potapova has 4 career wins over top-10 players, with 2 of those wins coming this year. Potapova has won 8 of he last 10 matches on clay court.
Caroline Garcia is coming off a straight set win over Tatjana Maria that took 23 games to decide. In the victory, Garcia won 69 percent of her first serve points and 45 percent of her second serve points. Garcia won 62 percent of her total service points and converted on 4 of her 12 break points. Garcia got 71 percent of her first serves in play and saved 5 of her 8 break points. Garcia is still having issues with unforced errors, but her recent effort was her best since Indian Wells. Garcia has won 6 straight matches on clay court.
The previous 2 meetings were split as Garcia won 2019 Tianjin in 3 sets while Potapova won 2021 Ostrava in straight sets. This will obviously be the first meeting on clay.
Potapova can certainly win this match given her recent form and the fact Garcia has been an unforced error machine lately. Still, I lean Garcia because of how she’s looked on clay dating back to last year. When both players are at their best, Garcia is the better player, and she moves better on this surface between the two.
Give me Garcia to reach the semifinals.