The second round of the WTA Yarra Valley Classic in Melbourne will be completed on Tuesday. Ash Barty, Sofia Kenin and Garbine Muguruza all join the action on Day 3 of the WTA 500 event. Petra Kvitova will also feature for the first time – against Venus Williams in the match of the round and as ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate. Who will progress to the third round?
WTA Yarra Valley Classic Day 3 Predictions
Garbine Muguruza vs Alison Van Uytvanck
Head-to-head: Muguruza 2-1 Van Uytvanck
Fifth seed Muguruza received a bye, while Alison Van Uytvanck eased past Hsieh Su-Wei in the opening round. The 27-year-old Spaniard reached the third round in Abu Dhabi last month. Muguruza won both of the pair’s previous meetings on hard courts, and the world #15 should be too strong for her 65th-ranked Belgian opponent – who is playing in her first event of 2021.
Prediction: Muguruza in 2
Vera Zvonareva vs Zhang Shuai
Head-to-head: Zvonareva 1-0 Zhang
Former World #2 and two-time Grand Slam finalist Vera Zvonareva is currently ranked at #156. The 36-year-old Russian beat Zhang Shuai when the pair met in Thailand in 2015. Zvonareva beat Kristyna Pliskova in three sets in the opening round, and also made the second round in Abu Dhabi in January. China’s Zhang – ranked #35 – is yet to play this year. The 32-year-old 10th seed may still just have enough to edge this one.
Prediction: Zhang in 3
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Shelby Rogers vs Rebecca Peterson
Head-to-head: First meeting
World #60 Shelby Rogers defeated 43rd-ranked Fiona Ferro in straight sets in the first round, while Rebecca Peterson beat wildcard Maddison Inglis even more comfortably. The 28-year-old American Rogers had a better 2020 season than Peterson. Rogers’ form in beating a quality opponent in Ferro should see her past the 25-year-old Swede and into the third round.
Prediction: Rogers in 2
Anastasija Sevastova vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Head-to-head: Pavlyuchenkova 7-0 Sevastova
World #54 Anastasija Sevastova has won just two sets in this remarkably lopsided head-to-head series. The 30-year-old Latvian defeated Madison Brengle in straight sets in the opening round, whereas world #39 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Misaki Doi in straight sets. Both players fell at the first hurdle in Abu Dhabi. While three of the meetings were in 2011 or earlier, it is still hard to overlook the 29-year-old Russian’s dominant record, particularly given that former world #11 Sevastova has been well below her best for some time and won just two WTA matches in 2020.
Prediction: Pavlyuchenkova in 3
Ashleigh Barty vs Ana Bogdan
Head-to-head: First meeting
This will be Barty’s first WTA-level match since she lost in the semifinals of Doha almost a year ago. The Australian world #1 lost to Simona Halep in a tight three-set exhibition in Adelaide last week. Romania’s WTA #93 Ana Bogdan beat Kamilla Rakhimova in straight sets in the first round. Even given Barty’s long hiatus, it is difficult to see Bogdan troubling her as she begins her build-up to her home Grand Slam.
Prediction: Barty in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
