French Open Day 9 - Women
Francesca Schiavone ITA vs (3)Victoria Azarenka BLR
Schiavone seems to have revived herself just in time for her fairytale French Open. Other than her win at Marrakech on clay earlier this year, Schiavone has made just one other quarterfinal. Winning this match against Azarenka would put Schiavone into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since her 2011 Roland Garros campaign where she lost in the final to Li Na. However, Azarenka has been in fine form in 2013. She has reached the finals of every event she has played that she didn't withdraw from except for Madrid when she was coming back from an injury. Can Schiavone's mixes of loopy spins and crazy angles uphend Azarenka?
Prediction: Azarenka in 2 tricky sets
(17)Sloane Stephens USA vs (2)Maria Sharapova RUS
After shocking the world and reaching the Australian Open semis, Stephens seemed to wilt from the pressure afterwards. However, she has again reached the second week of Roland Garros and now will face the defending champion-Maria Sharapova. Nobody has beaten Sharapova on clay since 2012 except for Williams. However, Stephens was Williams' conqueror at the Australian Open, and if she can keep her errors low and get her forehand firing, who knows what could happen?
Prediction: Sharapova in 2 tough sets
Elsewhere, Bethanie Mattek Sands USA faces (12)Maria Kirilenko RUS and Jamie Hampton USA faces (18)Jelena Jankovic SRB. The other 3 Americans are in action today. Can they follow Serena Williams into the quarterfinals?
Prediction: Kirilenko in 3 sets
Prediction: Jankovic in 3 sets
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