Jasmine Paolini vs Coco Gauff Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Cincinnati Open

Prediction published on 18/08/2023, 07:25  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 18/08/2023 at 08:26 in Tennis Predictions

Seventh seeded Coco Gauff bids to reach the last four of the Western & Southern Open. Standing between her and a place in the last four is unseeded Jasmine Paolini. The winner of this match will take on either top seeded Iga Swiatek or the tenth seed Marketa Vondrousova for a place in the final. Coco Gauff is seventh in the latest rankings but up a place in the live list. It's been an exciting few weeks for the 19-year-old with a title win in Washington and a quarter final in Montreal. Both of those tournaments were outdoor hard court events as is this one in Cincinnati. This week has seen the American beat two unseeded opponents (Mayar Sherif) and Linda Noskova in straight sets and for the loss of only eight games. In the last round against Noskova, the second set was won without losing a game. Gauff has had one previous meeting with Paolini. That was on this surface in Adelaide two years ago with the American winning in three sets.

Jasmine Paolini was in 43rd position in the rankings at the start of this tournament. Her run to the last eight has seen the Italian rise to 35th. Beating Gauff will take her up to 29th and see her in the seeding positions for the US Open. Her career high ranking is 42nd so that's been beaten this week. Paoliini has gone one round better this week than in her most recent tournament in Montreal. There she lost to Jessica Pegula in the last 16 and if winning that match would have faced Gauff. Only one match was won in Montreal as her scheduled second round opponent Madison Keys withdrew. The Italian won a WTA 125 hard court event earlier this year but didn't beat anyone ranked in the top 90 to do so. This week saw her have to qualify to get into the main draw. Her first match wasn't easy as she lost the first set to Rebeka Masarova winning just one game. She recovered well and a straight sets win over Camilia Osorio took her into the first round. In the main draw, Paolini won her first two matches for the loss of only six games and then defeated fourth seed Elena Rybakina. The first set was lost but she was 5-2 up in set two when Rybakina retired. We go for the in-form Gauff to win this in straight sets.