Top seed Sofia Kenin will be in action as we enter Day 3 of the year’s first WTA tournament, the Abu Dhabi Open. There are some intriguing matches in store for the second round at Abu Dhabi Open. Here are our thoughts on who is moving on to the Round of 16. We also predict the other four matches.
WTA Abu Dhabi Open Day 3 Predictions
Sofia Kenin vs Kirsten Flipkins
Head to head: Kenin 2-0
Kirsten Flipkins is a veteran of the game. Her wealth of experience pushed her past Germany’s Laura Siegemund in the opener. It was a hard-fought, three set victory but it was really Flipkens’ experience that brought the win. The Dutchwoman will use her all-court game and serve and volley to disrupt Kenin’s rhythm.
Undoubtedly the favorite in this match, Kenin may still be looking to shake off the rust. What should have been an easy outing against Yang Zhaoxuan proved a bit of a challenge for Kenin. However, the tournament top seed quickly acclimated to the fast courts and windy conditions, and the second set was much more to Kenin’s liking.
Kenin has proven time and again that she can win even when she isn’t playing at her best. This won’t be a stellar performance from the American, but she’ll show enough to win.
Prediction: Kenin in 2
Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Bernarda Pera
Head to head: First meeting
Bernarda Pera worked for her win against 16th seed Donna Vekic. A three set clash lasting more than three hours might leave the American drained. On the other side of the net, we’ll see a fresh and invigorated Sara Sorribes Tormo. Her opener against Podoroska should have been a tough go. Yet, the Spaniard required less than two hours to exit the WTA Young Player of the Year.
Very little separates Sorribes Torm and Pera. So, I’ll give the edge to the Spaniard who’ll be fresher.
Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in 2
Bianca Turati vs Veronika Kudermetova
Head to head: First meeting
Veronika Kudermetova turned in a stellar performance against 10th seed Anett Kontaveit. The Russian dropped just six games in her straight set win over the Estonian. It was a great performance for Kudermetova coming off an unremarkable 2020.
Qualifier Bianca Turati shocked Yaroslava Shvedova. A memorable WTA maiden main draw match, the Italian lost a mere three games. But, I doubt Turati can replicate that success against Kudermetova. The Russian is playing some of her best tennis, and should move through this second round clash with relative ease.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Aryna Sabalenka vs Ajla Tomljanovic
Head to head: Sabalenka 2-1
Ajla Tomljanovic ended her losing streak with a first round win in Abu Dhabi. Not without challenge, the Aussie needed nearly two hours to dispatch China’s Zhu Lin. A relatively straightforward first set was followed by a contentious second, where Tomljanovic found herself down 0-3. While she was able to rally and win in straight sets, Sabalenka is a much higher caliber player. If the Sabalenka serve and groundstrokes are firing, Tomljanovic has little chance in this bout. I think the rust is off the Sabalenka racquet and the Belarusian will be moving on.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
