Serena Willams took a wild card for the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Open and will take on 17-year-old qualifier Lisa Pigato in the opening round. The American is extremely thirsty for match rhythm and she is hoping the WTA event in Parma will grant her some. How do you rate her chances against Pigato? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a second article.
WTA Parma Day 2 Predictions
Martina Di Giuseppe vs Nao Hibino
Head-to-head:
Both ladies have been struggling this year, only winning consecutive matches once. For Martina Di Giuseppe, it came in this very event which should give her a nice advantage of being used to the conditions. Most of her 2021 starts came in lesser events than Nao Hibino’s and despite being four years older, one could actually that the Japanese is the more experienced of the two. Perhaps the Italian can also benefit from playing this one on home soil.
Prediction: Di Giuseppe in 3
Paula Ormaechea vs Caroline Garcia
Head-to-head: First meeting
If you haven’t been following the ITF circuit, you might have forgotten about Paula Ormaechea. The former World No. 59 is far from the peak of her abilities, but is still grinding it out in lower-level events. Ormaechea had to qualify to reach the main draw. She survived some extremely hard battles against Varvara Flink and Stefanie Voegele. Caroline Garcia recently dropped her father’s coaching, and while we’re yet to see if it’s going to turn out for the best, the Frenchwoman should be much fresher here.
Prediction: Garcia in 2
Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Bernarda Pera
Head-to-head: Sorribes Tormo 2-0
Sure, the Williams sisters will get all the attention, but this might low-key be the most interesting game of the first round. Sara Sorribes Tormo already defeated Bernarda Pera twice this year but these were both extremely exciting and dramatic clashes. The American was playing some of the best tennis of her life at Madrid and Rome, which might increase her chances to get a win in that trilogy. But the Spaniard is so experienced at grinding out tough matches like these on clay that along with the two previous wins, she has to be considered a slight favorite.
Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in 3
Serena Williams vs Lisa Pigato
Head-to-head: First meeting
Serena Williams decided to take a wild card into this event as a last resort to get some match practice before Roland Garros. This should be a great decision since her Rome loss to Nadia Podoroska had her put up an extremely rusty performance. The American will play a 17-year-old Lisa Pigato, who showcased fantastic fighting spirit in the qualifying campaign. The level goes up drastically and the youngster’s first main tour appearance could end in a bit of a brutal fashion.
Prediction: Williams in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
