There should be plenty of entertaining action on day two at the Australian Open. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Garbine Muguruza vs Margarita Gasparyan, Belinda Bencic vs Lauren Davis, Ash Barty vs Danka Kovinic, Karolina Muchova vs Jelena Ostapenko, Karolina Pliskova vs Jasmine Paolini, Victoria Azarenka vs Jessica Pegula and Kristina Mladenovic vs Maria Sakkari. Giving their picks for this set of matches are Jim Smith, Yesh Ginsburg and Fraser Learmonth. But who will reach the second round?
Australian Open Day Two Predictions
Sofia Kenin vs Maddison Inglis
Jim: Sofia Kenin has not been entirely convincing so far, but the American typically reserves her best tennis for the biggest tournaments. Besides which point, even something less than her very best will almost certainly still be good enough to account for the relatively inexperienced Madison Inglis.
Prediction: Kenin in 2
Yesh: Kenin is looking to defend her title, is in good form, and has a relatively easy matchup to open. Expect her to cruise into the Australian Open second round.
Prediction: Kenin in 2
Fraser: The defending Australian Open champion will be thankful for a kind first-round draw after failing to impress in the warmup events. Kenin was handily dismissed by Muguruza in her second match last week and has looked shaky both in Melbourne and Abu Dhabi to start the year. But while Inglis is a consistent performer on the tour, she lacks real quality and this should be a comfortable win for Kenin.
Prediction: Kenin in 2
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Cori Gauff vs Jil Teichmann
Jim: Cori Gauff beat Jil Teichmann last week, albeit very narrowly, and that is surely a result that the young American will draw real confidence from heading into this clash. If she can keep her composure in the vital moments, she should have just about enough to edge out the Swiss again.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
Yesh: Gauff is going to be a star soon, but I still underestimate her a bit. She needs to grow a drop more to really beat top players, and Teichmann should be a solid test. But one she should be able to pass.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
Fraser: These two met recently in the first round of one of the warm-up events in Melbourne. That match went the distance and I expect a similarly close affair here. Gauff has had a stellar rise over the past two years but seems to have plateaued slightly in recent months. Teichmann has made a name for herself on the tour, but is far more comfortable on clay despite her recent hard court showings. Gauff’s big serve and more hard-court oriented game should see her over the line again here.
Prediction: Gauff in 3
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Anett Kontaveit vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
Jim: Anett Kontaveit looked very sharp in the Grampians Trophy, reaching the ultimately cancelled final with a particularly impressive three-set win over Maria Sakkari. This is a potentially tricky first-round draw, but if she plays as she did last week, expect the Estonian to prove too strong for Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 3
Yesh: Kontaveit has had enough rest after the Grampians Trophy final was cancelled and is on top of her game. Sasnovich can be a threat when she’s at her best, but the Estonian should be too much.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
Fraser: This should be a straightforward win for Kontaveit. The Estonian made the final at the Grampians Trophy and is playing the kind of tennis that justifies her inclusion with the best players on the tour. Sasnovich on the other hand is struggling for form. Kontaveit has more quality and more confidence, she should win this comfortably.
Prediction: Kontaveit in 2
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Alison Van Uytvanck vs Clara Burel
Jim: Alison Van Uytvanck hardly plays the percentages, but when she is on song, her flat penetrating groundstrokes make her a very hard woman to beat. Particularly on the sort of fast, low-bouncing court surface laid down at Melbourne Park this year.
Prediction: Van Uytvanck in 2
Yesh: Van Uytvanck didn’t have her best or most consistent of years in 2020 (to say the least), but she’s still more talented than Clara Burel and has the better upside of these two.
Prediction: Van Uytvanck in 3
Fraser: Burel has risen rapidly up the WTA rankings in recent months. She did well to qualify for the Australian Open, but will have her hands full against a seasoned campaigner in Van Uytvanck. The Belgian hits a fast, flat ball and is hard to handle when she is on her game. She should have enough to get through what could be a tough first-round test.
Prediction: Van Uytvanck in 3
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