After months of toil on the clay and grass of Europe, the WTA's finest return to the hard courts of America for the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, the first stop on the Emirates Airline US Open Series. Headlining the field in the Bay Area is seven-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Stanford winner Venus Williams and 2013 winner Dominika Cibulkova.
WTA Stanford tournament overview
The first stop on the Emirates Airline US Open Series, Stanford plays host to the longest-running women's only tennis tournament, the Bank of the West Classic. The Bay Area hosts the United States' first WTA Premier level event of the season with three of the top 20 headlining her in Northern California. The famed Stanford University's Taube Family Tennis Stadium welcomes some of the world's best with all-time greats Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Serena Williams all having battled for the trophy here in Stanford.
First quarter
The top quarter is headlined by seven-time major winner and two-time Stanford champion Venus Williams and sixth seed Jelena Ostapenko. Williams, who last week made a run to the semifinals at Wimbledon, opens against either Czech Kristyna Pliskova or Pole Magda Linette. For Ostapenko, who is making her Stanford debut this week, the Latvian faces junior star and Bay Area native CiCi Bellis, who received a wildcard last week.
If Williams defeats Pliskova or Linette, the American could then play Ostapenko who would face a qualifier in the second round barring she defeats Bellis in the first. Expect Williams to make light work of her second-round opponent and gain a relatively straight forward win over Ostapenko to reach the semifinals here in Stanford.
Semifinalist: Williams
Second quarter
The second quarter is led by American and 2012 finalist CoCo Vandeweghe and another American and last year's semifinalist Varvara Lepchenko. Vandeweghe, who recently took her second career WTA title in Rosmalen, has a bye in the opening round before facing a former Stanford University player, American Nicole Gibbs or Canadian Carol Zhao. For Lepchenko, a two-time defending semifinalist, an all-American battle awaits in the first round against Alison Riske before a qualifier in the second round.
In a quarter filled with American talent, expect the big-hitting of CoCo Vandeweghe to power through to the quarterfinals and a potential meeting with Lepchenko, with Vandewege reaching the last four.
Semifinalist: Vandeweghe
Third quarter
The third section is headlined by British third seed Johanna Konta and seventh-seeded Frenchwomen Alizé Cornet. Konta received a bye into the second round while Cornet opens against unheralded American Jennifer Brady. A potential popcorn match looms in the second round for Konta, with big-hitting Japanese Naomi Osaka a possible second round opponent for Konta. For Cornet, the Frenchwomen could face Chinese Zheng Saisai or another American in Maria Mateas. In this quarter, the easiest in the draw, expect the reliability of Konta to show through to a spot in the semifinals.
Semifinalist: Konta
Fourth quarter
The bottom quarter of the draw is led by 2013 winner Dominika Cibulkova and Japanese lefty Misaki Doi. For Cibulkova, who recently captured her sixth WTA title a few weeks ago in Eastbourne, the Slovak has a bye in the first round before a tricky second rounder against either Urszula Radwanska or Ukranian Kateryna Bondarenko. On the other side of this section, Doi opens against Chinese Xinyun Han before another relatively routine second round against either Paraguay's Veronica Cepede Royg or countrywoman Nao Hibino.
With both Doi and Cibulkova receiving fairly routine paths to the last eight, expect the talented lefty game of Doi to pay dividends and for the Japanese woman to reach the last four here in Stanford.
Semifinalist: Doi
Predictions:
Semifinals: Williams def. Vandeweghe, Konta def. Doi
Final: Williams def. Konta