Jasmine Paolini vs Emma Navarro, Lulu Sun vs Donna Vekic: Wimbledon quarter-final predictions
Women’s tennis has frequently thrown up surprises in recent years, and that is no different at Wimbledon in 2024.
Only one of the projected quarter-finalists has made it that far in the bottom half of the women’s singles draw, and that player – seventh seed Jasmine Paolini – had never won a match on grass this year.
Paolini is the highest-ranked player left in that half but faces a fascinating test against 19th seed and rising star Emma Navarro.
While the other quarter-final throws up a huge surprise, with qualifier Lulu Sun up against WTA stalwart Donna Vekic.
Here, we look at both quarter-finals – and make our predictions.
(Q) Lulu Sun vs Donna Vekic
Drinks are on anyone who managed to predict this quarter-final.
New Zealand star Sun has been the story of the tournament, saving a match point in round two of qualifying before sealing safe passage into the main draw – and beating eighth seed Zheng Qinwen and home favourite Emma Raducanu to reach the last eight.
Sun’s performance against Raducanu was simply sensational, with no woman hitting more winners in a match at Wimbledon than her in that fourth round battle.
She has momentum, but Vekic is no easy opponent.
The Croatian is in a third Grand Slam quarter-final but has incredibly never reached that stage at SW19 before this year, a huge surprise for someone who has loved playing on grass.
Vekic won Nottingham in 2017 and was the runner-up in 2019, while she was the runner-up in Berlin last year and in Bad Homburg less than two weeks ago.
This is a tough one to call; it truly feels like anything is possible here, from a one-sided beatdown to a three-hour epic.
But, unfazed by two huge matches so far, perhaps Sun has a slight advantage.
Prediction: Lulu Sun in three sets
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(7) Jasmine Paolini vs (19) Emma Navarro
How different things could have been for Paolini at this tournament.
The Italian cruised through her first three matches but looked down and out at a double break down in the final set against Madison Keys in round four – only for the American to suffer a nightmare injury.
Paolini, the most improved player on the WTA this year, is now in back-to-back Slam quarters and has been given a new lease of life, but it doesn’t get easier for her against Navarro.
The US star comes in fresh off the biggest win of her career over world No 2 Coco Gauff, and also beat Naomi Osaka and Bad Homburg champion Diana Shnaider to reach this point.
Navarro was nerveless to close out victory against Gauff and will not be fazed by a first Grand Slam quarter-final, but Paolini is a gritty competitor and will never make it easy for anyone.
Another quarter-final that could go either way, Navarro should have the edge if she plays like she has this tournament – and we think she will.
Prediction: Emma Navarro in three sets
