It’s been an exciting week in Nanchang at the Jiangxi Open so far and the action is set to continue on Day 3! But who will continue their quest for the title in Nanchang and who will fall short?
Jiangxi Open Day Three Predictions
Liu Fangzhou vs Magda Linette
Head-to-head: Linette 1-0 Liu
Liu Fangzhou, who has mostly been playing at the $25k level recently, did well to beat Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina in three sets to reach the round of 16. Third seed Magda Linette, meanwhile, comfortably beat qualifier Giuliana Olmos of Mexico in the first round and is in great form after winning her first WTA-level title in the Bronx at the end of last month and reaching the second round at the US Open.
She also leads the head-to-head with Liu after winning their only previous matchup which came on the hard courts at the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur four years ago. In fact, Linette only lost three games in that match, although Liu was just 19. Nonetheless Linette has been playing very good tennis in recent weeks, reaching a career-high ranking of world #45 as a result. Liu made good use of her wild card in beating Danilina, but expect the Pole too prove too strong.
Prediction: Linette in 2
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Lara Arruabarrena vs Viktorija Golubic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Lara Arruabarrena dropped the first set against Romania’s Monica Niculescu in the first round, but battled back to level the match before Niculescu retired trailing 4-1 in the decider. Viktorija Golubic, seeded sixth in Nanchang, began her Jiangxi Open campaign with a comprehensive victory over another Romanian, Jaqueline Cristian, in the first round, losing just six games against the qualifier.
This match, the first between this pair, will likely be decided by whether or not Golubic can show the patience necessary to wait for her opportunity in rallies and how the Golubic backhand holds up. The Swiss is certainly the better player of the two and played very well in the first round, but she can struggle to rein in her power with the necessary accuracy. But after an excellent start to her tournament, expect Golubic to show the controlled aggression needed to win this one.
Prediction: Golubic in 2
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Kateryna Kozlova vs Dalila Jakupovic
Head-to-head: Jakupovic 1-0 Kozlova
After losing in five straight matches (not including a withdrawal), Kateryna Kozlova claimed a much-needed win by easily beating Greta Arn in the first round at the Jiangxi. Slovenian veteran Dalila Jakupovic also snapped a five-match losing streak by crushing the struggling Sara Errani in the first round. Jakupovic had lost 16 of her previous 18 matches before the win against Errani. Jakupovic also leads the head-to-head 1-0 after beating Kozlova in three sets in Luxembourg last year.
This match will be a close one, with both players desperate to get some wins under their belt after a long stretch of poor form. Both players competed at a high level in their first round matches and there doesn’t look to be much to separate the two on paper. But because Kozlova had played well before her recent losing streak, and Jakupovic’s struggles have lasted longer, expect Kozlova to have the mental edge in a tight match.
Prediction: Kozlova in 3
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Rebecca Peterson vs Jana Fett
Head-to-head: first meeting
After a successful North American hard-court swing, highlighted by a run to the third round in Cincinnati as a qualifier, fifth seed Rebecca Peterson of Sweden easily beat home hope Xun Fang Ying in the first round. The Croatian Jana Fett, meanwhile, qualified for the tournament by beating Sofia Shapatava and Aldila Sutjiadi, both in straight sets, before battling past Ukrainian Katerina Zavatska 7-6 2-6 6-1 to reach the second round.
This will be the first meeting between this pair, but Peterson will surely approach it with confidence such has been recent impressive form. Of particular note has been the precision she has shown off the ground, which has done much to compensate for her lack of outright power. Fett did well to qualify for the tournament and win a first round match, but Peterson is playing at a different level currently. Expect the Swede to advance to the Jiangxi Open quarterfinals.
Prediction: Peterson in 2
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