Day 2 at the Mutua Madrid Open features many established clay court players like Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep, as well as the current world no.1 Naomi Osaka. Can they secure their place in the next round? Here are my Madrid Open Day 2 Predictions.
WTA Mutua Madrid Open Day 2 Predictions
Garbine Muguruza vs Petra Martic
Head-to-head record: Muguruza leads 1-0
Muguruza withdrew from Stuttgart last week due to an illness, so there will be questions over her health coming here. Muguruza will no doubt get the home support coming into this match, so it might give her a lift if she is still not feeling well due to the illness.
Their previous meeting was at Roland Garros last year, in which Muruguza won comfortably in straight sets. This one should be no different if she is fully fit and ready to play this match.
Prediction: Muguruza in 2
Angelique Kerber vs Lesia Tsurenko
Head-to-head record: Kerber leads 2-0
This is an interesting match up to predict. Even though the head-to-head record suggests a comfortable 2-0 lead over Kerber, each other their meetings have gone to three sets. An upset can be caused here by Tsurenko, as the two previous meetings were all on Kerber’s preferred surface of hard court. So now this match is on clay, it will be interesting to see who can come out on top.
It will not be surprising if this match goes to a third set again. But, given Kerber has already two wins over Tsurenko, Kerber has a big mental advantage if this match goes to the third yet again.
Prediction: Kerber in 3
Simona Halep vs Margarita Gasparyan
Head-to-head record: First meeting
Gasparyan might edge Halep at the beginning of the match as this is Halep’s first clay court match of the season. Halep will be a little bit rusty as she has not played a match since Miami. Once the Romanian gets fully warmed up, it will be a one sided result and Halep’s clay court experience will still prove to be too much for Gasparyan to handle and the Romanian should win this match comfortably. The former World No. 1 should not fall in the first hurdle here at Madrid.
Prediction: Halep in 2
Naomi Osaka vs Dominika Cibulkova
Head-to-head record: Osaka leads 2-0
Since winning at Melbourne in January, Osaka has struggled to capture that same form she had at Down Under. Cibulkova has also been struggling lately, as she is currently on a three match losing streak and has yet to win back-to-back matches this year.
Though clay is not either player’s favourite surface, a potential upset is on the cards here. I can feel the ever-feisty Slovakian pulling off an upset and getting her first top ten win of the year here in Madrid.
Prediction: Cibulkova in 3
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