Day three at the WTA Luxembourg Open should see plenty of entertaining action for tennis fans around the world. Amongst those in action are the fast-rising stars Cori Gauff, last week the winner in Linz, and Caty McNally, who takes on former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. But who will advance?
Luxembourg Open Day Three Predictions
Viktoria Kuzmova vs Laura Siegemund
Head-to-head: first meeting
Laura Siegemund fought through a tough first-round match against the young gun Marta Kostyuk, who had impressed in the qualifying but came up just short against the German in a 6-4 5-7 2-6 loss. Viktoria Kuzmova also had a hard time in her opener up against the USA’s Katie Volynets, but finished strongly to claim a 6-7 7-6 6-1 win. Whilst neither player was at their best in the first round, both will surely view this as a real chance to reach the quarterfinals. But Kuzmova may well view herself as the favourite and rightly so. Siegemund rarely loses to players below her in the rankings, but she has struggled against established top 50 opponents, such as Kudermetova, throughout her career.
Prediction: Kuzmova in 3
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Misaki Doi vs Julia Goerges
Head-to-head: Goerges 1-0 Doi
The 2015 Luxembourg Open champion Misaki Doi looks to be in for a tough test up against the experienced German Julia Goerges. Doi is clearly comfortable with the conditions in Luxembourg, but Goerges is far from an ideal first-round opponent. Her powerful serve and forehand typically make her an extremely dangerous opponent in quick indoor conditions. The 2018 Wimbledon semifinalist will surely be targeting a deep run in Luxembourg after her disappointing second-round loss to her compatriot Andrea Petkovic in Linz last week. Expect her to get back on track at the Luxembourg Open with a fairly routing win.
Prediction: Goerges in 2
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Caty McNally vs Jelena Ostapenko
Head-to-head: first meeting
All eyes will likely be on Gauff in Luxembourg after the 15-year-old’s stunning triumph at the Linz Open, but they might be better served to concentrate on Linz finalist Ostapenko’s clash with Gauff’s frequent doubles partner McNally. After what has been a largely disappointing season for Ostapenko, her run to the final in Linz under the tutelage of new coach Marion Bartoli has surely given her confidence, even if the end result proved to be disappointing. McNally, meanwhile, disappointed in Linz, losing in straight-sets in the first round of qualifying to Anna-Lena Friedsam. But that was her first match since the US Open and she should be better prepared at the Luxembourg Open. Expect her to pick up an upset win over the often inconsistent Ostapenko.
Prediction: McNally in 3
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Coco Gauff vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: first meeting
How quickly Gauff is able to recharge and refresh after her efforts in Linz will likely play a significant role in determining the outcome of this match. But it is also worth noting that the more Gauff plays, the more her opponents will become familiar with her patterns of play and therefore become better at countering them. But will that be enough for Anna Blinkova in the first round of the Luxembourg Open? The Russian has had a fine year at ITF-level, but has struggled to translate that into success on the main tour. If Gauff maintains the level she displayed in Linz, she should come out on top here.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
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