Tuesday is Day 2 of the Australian Open! AThe plan is to finish the first round in Melbourne. Who will win? In addition to our pre-tournament predictions, we’re trying to look at as many individual matches as we can for you. Each set of predictions contains four matches. In addition to this set, we also have predictions featuring Donna Vekic vs Maria Sharapova, Kiki Bertens vs Irinia Camelia Begu, Kristina Mladenovic vs Karolina Pliskova, Amanda Anisimova vs Zarina Diyas, and Marketa Vondrousova vs Svetlana Kuznetsova. Predicting this set of matches are Tracey Essex, myself (Yesh Ginsburg), and Jim Smith.
Australian Open Day 2 Women’s Predictions
Astra Sharma vs Anett Kontaveit
Tracey:
Perhaps one of the most overlooked players, you just don’t hear much about Anett Knotaveit. It would be a remarkable upset for Sharma to win this match, and I don’t see it happening. I am looking forward to a Kudermetova-Kontaveit clash.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Yesh:
Sharma was a young talent, but she has never managed to turn her NCAA success into any big wins on tour. Expect Kontaveit to cruise.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Jim:
Kontaveit has hit a rather rough patch of form at the start of this season, with her only win so far coming against Hsieh Su-wei in the first round in Brisbane. But whilst Sharma will have the benefit of playing in front of the Australian crowd, she has just one win in the main draw at a Major to her name. Expect Kontaveit to overpower her.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Cici Bellis vs Tatjana Maria
Tracey:
It will be interesting to see how Bellis responds to Maria’s crafy and unpredictable style. I don’t see enough experience to carry Bellis though the German’s unique game.
Prediction: Maria in 3
Yesh:
Bellis has been quickly surpassed as the next big thing in tennis, but she still has a ton of talent. The California native is no longer in the top two (at least) on everyone’s lists of top young American, which is a mistake. It’s time for Bellis to start showing what she’s capable of again.
Prediction: Bellis in 2
Jim:
Thanks to a succession of injuries, Bellis has been rather overshadowed as the next big WTA superstar. But the Californian remains a fine player, who has been as high as 35th in the world for a reason. Maria, meanwhile, has made a poor start to the season and was hammered in her last outing by Vondrousova in Adelaide. Expect Bellis to edge this one.
Prediction: Bellis in 3
Yulia Putintseva vs Su-wei Hsieh
Tracey:
Will Yulia Putintseva remember her 2018 clash with Hsieh Su-wei? And, will she be prepared to run down the dropshots, set up for the wicked slice or predict Hsieh’s unpredictability? I think we’ll see another long three-setter in which Hsieh prevails.
Prediction: Hsieh in 3
Yesh:
Putintseva is a much better player than she was a few years ago, but she can still struggle with consistency and get frustrated by opponents’ variety. This is a bad matchup for her.
Prediction: Hsieh in 3
Jim:
This could well be an intriguing battle. Neither player is at their best on this surface, with Hsieh preferring grass and Putintseva the clay. But Hsieh is in the midst of a poor run of form and, despite her court-craft, she just can’t seem to cause opponents the problems she has in the past. If Putintseva, who endured a disappointing 2019 but has started this year brightly, can stay solid, she should have enough to advance.
Prediction: Putintseva in 3
Jennifer Brady vs Simona Halep
Tracey:
Simona Halep has certainly learned some lessons from Adelaide where she was hit off the court by Aryna Sabalenka. Probably some good prep for Jen Brady, another hard hitter.
Prediction: Halep in 3
Yesh:
Brady is a strong player who can trouble anyone for a time, but she’s not consistent enough to really trouble the top players in the world, especially at a Major.
Prediction: Halep in 2
Jim:
Halep may have disappointed at the Adelaide International, but away from Flushing Meadows, she very rarely falls to an early upset at a Major. Brady did play very well in Brisbane, however, reaching the quarterfinals before losing to fifth seed Petra Kvitova. Expect the American to provide Halep with an early test, but for the two-time Major champion to advance to the second round.
Prediction: Halep in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
