On day three in Melbourne, the action from the Australian Open will continue with the bottom half of the women’s draw set to battle for a place in the third round. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Simona Halep vs Ajla Tomljanovic, Iga Swiatek vs Camila Giorgi and Serena Williams vs Nina Stojanovic, with our panel of Jim Smith, Fraser Learmonth and Yesh Ginsburg offering their picks for this slate of matches. Who will advance?
Australian Open Day Three Predictions
Naomi Osaka vs Caroline Garcia
Jim: One imagines that Naomi Osaka would have avoided Caroline Garcia as early as the second round if she had been given the choice. But, although the Frenchwoman did look sharp in the first round, beating Polona Hercog in straight sets, she has flattered to deceive enough times that it is hard to still believe in her as a top player. Expect Osaka to prove too strong.
Prediction: Osaka in 3
Fraser: Garcia was once considered the next big thing in women’s tennis. However, she has slipped from those heights in recent years and is yet to rediscover her best tennis. But she will need it to beat a red-hot Osaka. The Japanese looks to have come to terms with being the favourite in most tournaments she plays, with the pressure no longer affecting her. She is playing free-flowing and powerful tennis that will take some stopping and should make quick work of this assignment.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
Yesh: Osaka is just in absolutely imperious form. Garcia might have once been able to hang with the best in the world, but the Japanese is just far above what the Frenchwoman can offer right now.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
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Sorana Cirstea vs Petra Kvitova
Jim: As expected, Petra Kvitova dispatched Greet Minnen without encountering too many problems in the first round. The Czech may encounter more resistance against Sorana Cirstea, but it seems more than likely that she will once again advance a winner in straight sets.
Prediction: Kvitova in 2
Fraser: Cirstea did well to recover from an unexpected loss to Ann Li last week and claim a solid first-round victory in the Australian Open. However, she now faces one of the favourites to win the tournament in Kvitova. The fast courts of Melbourne suit the Czech’s big-serving, hard-hitting game and she loves playing in Australia. She made the final here a couple of years ago and a similarly deep run looks possible if she can maintain her early season form.
Prediction: Kvitova in 2
Yesh: Kvitova didn’t look as strong as we might have expected in her opening-round win at the Australian Open. Cirstea, meanwhile, is constantly improving and gaining in confidence, but the Czech is just too strong here.
Prediction: Kvitova in 3
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Varvara Gracheva vs Veronika Kudermetova
Jim: Varvara Gracheva hung tough to claim the scalp of her compatriot Anna Blinkova in the first round, but although she deserves credit for holding her nerve, the in-form Veronika Kudermetova is a class apart. Expect the 23-year-old to win through comfortably enough.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 3
Fraser: Gracheva was lucky to survive against Blinkova, who threw away a lead in the third set of their first-round clash. Kudermetova, meanwhile, is in great form and scored a convincing win over rising star Marta Kostyuk in the first round. She has the game to do well in Melbourne and will like her chances of taking advantage of what looks to be a relatively kind draw.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 3
Yesh: Kudermetova is a strong player who is constantly improving and has started 2020 in excellent form. She might be vulnerable to an upset from time to time, but I expect her to win against her countrywoman here.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
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Hsieh Su-wei vs Bianca Andreescu
Jim: This should be an enjoyable, if somewhat unconventional match. But Bianca Andreescu is able to ally her court-craft and guile to real power from the baseline. Hsieh Su-wei, for all her qualities, simply cannot match that sort of firepower.
Prediction: Andreescu in 2
Fraser: Hsieh played well against Grand Slam specialist Pironkova. However, she must now face arguably the WTA’s most talented hard-court player. Andreescu was nearly unbeatable on hard courts in 2019 when she wasn’t battling with injuries. The Canadian was slightly rusty in her opening match against Buzarnescu, but three sets of tennis will have done her good and she should keep improving as the tournament goes on. She will advance here, and someway further if she gets close to her best.
Prediction: Andreescu in 2
Yesh: Andreescu returned to tennis after 15 months with a bit of rust, which is to be expected. But she is clearly just as strong and versatile as she’s ever been. Hsieh played her best match in some years in the first round, but it won’t be enough to match the Canadian superstar.
Prediction: Andreescu in 2
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