There should be plenty of entertaining action on day four at the WTA Charleston Open, with a number of star names set to take to the court in South Carolina. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for all 13 matches on the slate, including Ashleigh Barty vs Misaki Doi and Sloane Stephens vs Madison Keys. But who will book their place in the third round?
WTA Charleston Open Day Four Predictions
Paula Badosa vs Belinda Bencic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Belinda Bencic’s season has not gone to plan so far. The Swiss has struggled badly throughout 2021, losing early at the Australian Open and in Miami, as in Doha and Dubai. The sole bright spot was her run to the final at the Adelaide International, but even that tournament ended in a disappointingly heavy defeat at the hands of Iga Swiatek. She will therefore surely be desperate to get back to winning ways when she takes on Paula Badosa in her opener at the WTA Charleston Open.
The Spaniard has lost a number of tight matches this season, but managed to get the better of Varvara Gracheva in the first round in Charleston, winning 3-6 7-5 6-1. Most at home on the clay, she may well like her chances of upsetting Bencic and it looks like she may have a good chance of doing just that. The fifth-seeded Bencic has been short of her usual conviction off the ground, which has allowed opponents to dictate terms to her. If Badosa can play with a positive mindset and on the front foot, expect her to pick up a memorable win.
Prediction: Badosa in 3
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Hailey Baptiste vs Ons Jabeur
Head-to-head: first meeting
Ons Jabeur made an assured start to her campaign at the WTA Charleston Open, dismissing French Open quarterfinalist Martina Trevisan for the loss of only four games. The Tunisian will surely be hoping that her assured performance in that match is a sign of things to come over the course of the clay-court season after starting 2021 in rather indifferent fashion. Her next challenge will be to get the better of home hope Hailey Baptiste.
The American started her week in South Carolina with an equally impressive 6-3 6-3 win over her compatriot Caroline Dolehide. That said, it is hard to see her repeating the feat against the 12th seed. Jabeur’s game is well-suited to the clay thanks to her topspin-heavy forehand and her soft hands when she steps inside the baseline. Baptiste is good enough to stay competitive and the 19-year-old unquestionably has a bright future, but this looks likely to be a match too far too soon.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
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Emma Navarro vs Veronika Kudermetova
Head-to-head: first meeting
After an excellent junior career, which included a run to the final at the French Open in singles and winning the title at the same tournament in the doubles, Emma Navarro appears to be close to breaking through in the professional ranks. The American arrived in Charleston having scored some good wins and she continued that solid run of form by ousting Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in the first round at the WTA Charleston Open in straight-sets.
Her reward is a shot at 15th seed Veronika Kudermetova. The Russian started her week with a comprehensive 6-1 6-2 win over qualifier Desirae Krawczyk. That victory was certainly welcome with Kudermetova having struggled since reaching the final in Abu Dhabi in the first week of the season. But even if she is not at her best in this match, she should prove too strong for the inexperienced Navarro, who has not yet been ranked inside the world’s top 400.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
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Elise Mertens vs Alize Cornet
Head-to-head: Mertens 1-1 Cornet
Elise Mertens has begun 2021 in solid, if not spectacular form, with the highlight of the Belgian’s year, in singles at least, her run to the title at the WTA Gippsland Island Trophy in Melbourne. Alize Cornet, meanwhile, will be looking to advance past the second round for the first time this season, having rallied past Bernarda Pera in the first round at the WTA Charleston Open. This will be the third meeting between this pair and the first on a clay court.
Mertens won their first, which was contested at the Australian Open in 2018, but Cornet avenged that defeat a year later in Fed Cup action. This looks to have the makings of another competitive encounter. Mertens is the more powerfully equipped of the two, but Cornet covers the court very well and will have the advantage of one clay-court match under her belt already. Still, there are 42 places between them in the WTA rankings for a reason. Expect Mertens to prove just about too strong.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
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Shelby Rogers vs Amanda Anisimova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Amanda Anisimova’s breakout run to the French Open semifinals in 2019 came so early in her career that it is often easy to forget that the American is still only 19. Inconsistencies are inevitable as a result, with Anisimova’s 2021 campaign not helped by a positive coronavirus test that forced her to miss the Australian Open. Since returning to action, however, she has won matches in Dubai and Miami and started her week in Charleston with a 5-7 6-2 6-3 win over Magda Linette.
But she faces what looks like a potentially stern test up against Shelby Rogers in the second round. Rogers, herself a former-French Open quarterfinalist, can be plagued by unforced errors, but she is a very difficult opponent to stop when she is on song, as Kristina Mladenovic discovered in the first round at the WTA Charleston Open. But Anisimova has proven herself a very able defender, especially on the clay. Expect her to blunt Rogers’ offence.
Prediction: Anisimova in 3
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