Thursday tennis acca tips: Montevideo and Angers last 16 picks

Montevideo and Angers will move on to their Round of 16 action on Thursday with last eight places on the line.

Angers was memorable last term for the breakout performance of Alycia Parks and might yet see a new star emerge this season.

In Montevideo, the tour's hardest workers are grinding away on the South American clay ahead of a 2024 campaign where the surface will be hugely important.

 

WTA Angers: Cristina Andreea Mitu vs Erika Andreeva | Pick: Andreeva

WTA Angers: Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Celine Naef | Pick: Cocciaretto

WTA Angers: Jessika Ponchet vs Audrey Albie | Pick: Ponchet

WTA Montevideo: Diane Parry vs Despina Papamichail | Pick: Parry

WTA Montevideo: Ekaterine Gorgodze vs Solana Sierra | Pick: Sierra

WTA Montevideo: Gabriela Lee vs Renata Zarazua | Pick: Zarazua

 

WTA Angers: Cristina Andreea Mitu vs Erika Andreeva

A last eight appearance in Angers beckons for Erika Andreeva as she faces qualifier Cristina Andreea Mitu at the Arena Loire.

Andreeva saw off veteran Nuria Parrizas-Diaz in the opening Round with minimum fuss and should be able to glide beyond the Romanian.

Mitu will be in action for the third time this week and was pushed to the limit in the Round of 32.

She needed three sets to get beyond Ukraine's Anastasiya Soboleva and might not have much to counter Andreeva.

 

WTA Angers: Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Celine Naef

Elisabetta Cocciaretto is among a growing number of fast-rising Italian players and could be one to watch next season. 

Celine Naef will be up against it to pull out some sort of upset when she meets Cocciaretto for the second time.

Cocciaretto won the first meeting between these players and beat her compatriot Susan Bandecchi in the first Round.

The top seed will rightly be eyeing the Angers title to keep up her push into the top 50.

 

WTA Angers: Jessika Ponchet vs Audrey Albie

Jessika Ponchet and Audrey Albie meet in an all-French last 16 clash in Angers that will mark the fifth clash between the comrades.

Ponchet has won all but one of the four previous clashes between the players and should have Albie beaten yet again.

They haven't met since 2022, but Ponchet should still have a workable plan to put Albie away.

Ponchet has enjoyed better recent form and holds the clear edge when it comes to ranking.

 

WTA Montevideo: Diane Parry vs Despina Papamichail

Montevideo top seed Diane Parry faces a tricky test in the form of Greece's Despina Papamichail.

Papamichail has beaten Parry in the past, with her victory in a W80 event in 2021, which is still the only meeting they have contested until now.

This time around, it will be Parry who should have the edge even if Papamichail gets a boost from that win.

Parry should feel that her level has been superior, and she is the favourite to take the crown for a reason.

 

WTA Montevideo: Ekaterine Gorgodze vs Solana Sierra

Argentinean teenager Solana Sierra will be out to continue her fantastic South American summer.

A quarter-finalist in her home event last week, Sierra can match that if she can battle beyond Ekaterine Gorgodze of Georgia.

Sierra lost to eventual champion Laura Pigossi last week and has found a good level again in Montevideo.

Gorgodze is likely to struggle to keep up with her energy across the contest.

 

WTA Montevideo: Gabriela Lee vs Renata Zarazua

Gabriela Lee and Renata Zarazua will contest their fifth meeting and split their current 2-2 tie.

Zarazua appears to be the player on the up among the two, with Lee having to fight through qualifying to reach the main draw in Montevideo.

Zarazua made quick work of her first-round opponent and should have more in the tank than Lee.

The number of past meetings between the players complicates that call, but Zarazua has been on an impressive run of late.