The first two women’s quarterfinals will unfold at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Three Czechs vie with one Russian for berths in the final four.

Ekaterina Makarova vs. Lucie Safarova

Six of one and a half a dozen of another.  That is the vibe one gets when trying to dissect the matchup between Ekaterina Makarova and Lucie Safarova.  There is little to choose between the two.

Both have looked solid in booking passage to this point, and they come into this clash separated by just one place in the rankings, with Makarova at No. 22 and Safarova at No. 23.  They have also split their only two meetings.  Neither of those meetings was on grass, however, and the lawns could prove to be a factor in this third clash.

Between the two, Makarova is the woman who likes grass better and feels more at home on the lawns.  She is also the better mover of the pair, which could be pivotal on this surface.  That said, both have decent firepower from the baseline and know their way around the net, so there is no reason why both of them cannot produce some stellar tennis at this venue. 

But for all their respective skills and what they have done to get here, the element that makes this match so hard to get a handle on is that there is no way to guess how they will handle the pressure of the moment.  Neither woman has much experience playing at this stage of a Grand Slam, nor has either woman ever advanced to a major semifinal.  Considering that, perhaps a slight edge might be given to the Russian. 

Makarova has played two major quarterfinals at the Australian Open recently.  Also, she seems to be hitting her stride with the way she confidently dispatched No. 4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the last round. But Safarova, who has yet to drop a set this tournament, has also looked pretty impressive.  Only time will tell if one or both of these competitors will be able to maintain that level with a berth in the final four at stake.

Petra Kvitova vs. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova

As a former champion located on the more open side of the draw, Kvitova probably liked her chances of once again going deep at Wimbledon.  Now, as she looks at her fellow quarterfinalists in the bottom half of the draw, she must really like her odds of going all the way to the final.  Of the four, she has by far the most experience at this level, and more specifically, on these lawns.  But just like Maria Sharapova in the upper half, Kvitova can ill afford to look too far ahead.  She has to stay in the here and now, beginning with her quarterfinal clash against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

Of course, Kvitova is unlikely to go into this match taking her fellow Czech opponent lightly.  Zahlavova Strycova had to take out three seeds to get to this stage, including Li Na Caroline Wozniacki, so she is obviously playing some solid tennis.  She loves the grass, and as a former top-20 doubles player, she has the kind of transitional game and quick hands that are often rewarded on this surface.  Additionally, she has played Kvitova extremely close and has garnered one win over the 2011 Wimbledon champion.

Kvitova will be well aware of the dangers that her countrywoman poses, but that does not make her any less the favorite.  She has produced some scintillating tennis through her first four rounds.  She rolled through the majority of her opponents and emerged victorious against Venus Williams in what many consider to be the best match of Wimbledon to this point.    She also has a great game for grass, and as fans have witnessed, both the weapons and variety in her arsenal are firing on all cylinders.

If Kvitova’s game continues to be spot on, she is going to be a tough out for anyone, and that includes Zahlaova Strycova.  The younger Czech has more firepower, and her serve is unquestionably superior.  Kvitova also has the added advantage of having been here before.  By contrast, this Wimbledon marks the first time in her career that Zahlavova Strycova has reached the second week of a major, let alone her first quarterfinal.  

It is that fact that could negate the one advantage she has in this match, which is her movement.  If she can extend the rallies, she might get some errors out of Kvitova, provided the former champion is having one of her more erratic days.  But Zahlavova Strycova may find errors spraying off of her own racquet if she lets the occasion get to her.  After all, it is one thing to collect a win over a high-seeded player, but it is another thing to achieve that feat when a slot in the semifinals is up for grabs.

All of this is to say that Kvitova is without question a heavy favorite in this contest.  She has the game, the experience, and it is her match to win or lose.  If Zahlavova Strycova manages to avoid allowing the situation get to her, it could be an entertaining encounter with some old-school grass tennis, but it will be a huge upset if the former Wimbledon champion does not secure the victory.