There are eight singles matches on the schedule for Monday at the Emilia-Romagna Open. Among these in action will be both the Williams sisters. Venus is taking on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who bested her at last year’s Roland Garros. Who do you think will advance? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a second article.
WTA Parma Day 2 Predictions
Katerina Siniakova vs Clara Tauson
Head-to-head: First meeting
Clara Tauson is undeniably one of the most exciting junior prospects in women’s tennis right now. The Dane has already won her maiden WTA title at Lyon. It looks like she got a bit of that first title hangover after that but the effects should be wearing off by now. The match should be on her racket against Katerina Siniakova, who only won 4 matches in 8 events this year.
Prediction: Tauson in 3
Caty McNally vs Sloane Stephens
Head-to-head: First meeting
It’s been rather quiet about Caty McNally this year but the American youngster went through the qualifying campaign in very solid form. That’s something we’re definitely not going to get from Sloane Stephens, whose performances are perhaps the most mercurial on the whole circuit. It looked like she might have been catching some fire in Charleston but she was back to playing way below her usual level at Madrid and Rome. Still, she’s a very natural clay-court player and if she can link together enough glimpses of her ridiculous potential, she should take this.
Prediction: Stephens in 3
Camila Giorgi vs Christina McHale
Head-to-head: 2-2
It’s been a rather poor year for Camila Giorgi but the Italian is a player you just don’t want to face. Her hyper-aggressive gameplan just doesn’t allow you to play tennis on your own terms and you pretty much need to rely on her missing the big shots. Christina McHale won their only clay court meeting in three sets seven years ago. It feels like this tournament could be a nice springboard for a resurgence from Giorgi though and perhaps she just needs a couple of good matches in to get going.
Prediction: Giorgi in 3
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs Venus Williams
Head-to-head: Schmiedlova 3-1
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova won this one at Roland Garros last year and with each passing season, Venus Williams’s physical shape will be more and more of a question mark. It’s great that the legend still wants to compete on the WTA circuit but it is just as tough to expect great results from her. Especially on clay, where her lacking movement can be exposed more easily by great baseliners like Schmiedlova.
Prediction: Schmiedlova in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
