Each day during the French Open, we'll preview—and predict the winner of—three of the most compelling women's matches.
(4) Petra Kvitova vs. Varvara Lepchenko
—Head to Head: Kvitova leads 1-0
One of the feel-good stories of the tournament, Lepchenko calls herself "a fighter in tennis and in life", and displayed that combative spirit in beating 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone in the third round, 8-6 in the third. These two tall lefties can both drill the forehand to make opponents defend; the woman who establishes control in forehand exchanges will have the edge. World No. 63 Lepchenko cannot be underestimated: She's played some of her best tennis in her biggest matches this season.
Questions surrounded Kvitova prior to Paris, as she suffered a strained abdominal in her Rome loss to Angelique Kerber, and had been plagued by inconsistency since losing to Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open semis. I'm a big believer in Kvitova's game—she's one of the most gifted and complete players on tour, and while she's been prone to erratic play since Melbourne, she seems to be rounding into form at the right time, and will not want to let this opportunity pass.
The Pick: Kvitova in three sets.
(7) Li Na vs. Yaroslava Shvedova
—Head-to-Head: Li leads 1-0
You may know Shvedova from her back-to-back Grand Slam doubles titles two years ago at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The 142nd-ranked singles player has had a terrific run in Paris, reaching the fourth round without dropping a set. She has a solid serve, is a smart player, and knows how to use the entire court. This is an opportunity match for the Moscow-born Shvedova, who can swing freely against the heavily-favored French Open champion.
Li is bidding to become the first woman to defend her Roland Garros title since Justine Henin won her third straight championship in 2007, and knows she has a real shot to reach her second straight final. Li has more gears to her game, and if she plays a solid, stress-free match, she should advance. Nerves can sometimes be an issue for China's first major singles champion, but Li has had a consistent clay-court season, is the more accomplished player, and barring a mental collapse, she should advance.
The Pick: Li in two sets.
(23) Kaia Kanepi vs. Arantxa Rus
—Head to Head: Kanepi leads 2-0
One of four lefties still standing in the women's draw, Rus is through to her first round-of-16 in just her eighth major. If she's landing her serve, she has a shot to extend her stay.
Kanepi showed the strength and weakness of her game in knocking out former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the third round. The Estonian has the power to hit almost anyone off the court when she's on, but she's also prone to mental frailty and self-doubt when she nears the finish line. She squandered a 6-1, 5-1 lead against Wozniacki before regaining the plot to complete a 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-3 victory.
It's hard to know how Kanepi will respond to the pressure of being the favorite here, but she is the more experience playerdhas contested three major quarterfinals, and if she tempers her tremendous power with the patience she's shown during this run, she can reach the last eight.
The Pick: Kanepi in three sets.