There looks set to be plenty of entertaining tennis on day two at the WTA Montreal Open with 16 singles matches on the slate in Canada. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, including Katerina Siniakova vs Garbine Muguruza, Bianca Andreescu vs Harriet Dart, and Petra Kvitova vs Fiona Ferro. But who will survive to fight another day in Montreal?
WTA Montreal Day 2 Predictions
Dayana Yastremska vs Sloane Stephens
Head-to-head: first meeting
If both players can find their best tennis, this should be a very watchable match. Unfortunately, it is far from certain that either will be at their best when they step on to court at the WTA Montreal Open, with neither renowned for their consistency. Dayana Yastremska has not been helped on that score by the now-overturned doping suspension she received earlier this season which kept her out of action until the WTA Hamburg Open in July.
Sloane Stephens, meanwhile, has been able to play a full schedule but the American looks a shadow of the player who won the US Open in 2017 with her 15-13 record below par for a player of her ability. But she has historically played well in these conditions and performed solidly last time out in San Jose, where she reached the second round. On paper, there doesn’t look to be a great deal in this, but Stephens is that much more match tough than the Ukrainian and should just about have the edge.
Prediction: Stephens in 3
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Camila Giorgi vs Elise Mertens
Head-to-head: Mertens 2-0 Giorgi
Elise Mertens will no doubt be targeting a deep run at the WTA Montreal Open. The Belgian has not quite established herself as one of the pre-eminent names in the women’s game, but she has been a very consistent performer over the past two seasons or so, particularly on hard courts. She enjoyed a particularly successful spell in North America in 2020, reaching the last four in ‘Cincinnati’ and the quarterfinals at the US Open.
But she has been handed a tough opening assignment this week. Camila Giorgi is hardly a byword for consistency, but when she is on song she is a very difficult opponent to stay with and she tends to save her best for the big occasion. That being said, she has lost both of her previous matches against Mertens in straight sets and has been out of action since losing in the second round in Tokyo. So whilst a victory for the Italian is not unthinkable, it does look unlikely.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
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Alison Van Uytvanck vs Donna Vekic
Head-to-head: Vekic 1-0 Van Uytvanck
This may not be one of the headlines clashes on day two at the WTA Montreal Open, but it may well be amongst the more entertaining. Both women sprung big shocks at the Tokyo Olympics, with Donna Vekic edging out Arya Sabalenka in the first round and Van Uytvanck ending Petra Kvitova’s campaign in the second. But neither was able to back it up, with both losing their next match – although there can be no shame attached in falling to Elena Rybakina and Muguruza respectively.
Vekic made her return to action in San Jose, but lost in the first round to Yulia Putintseva in straight sets, whilst Van Uytvanck has not played competitively since Tokyo. It is understandable that the Belgian was in no great rush to return to North America, which has not been a very happy hunting ground for her over the course of her career. Vekic, in contrast, has played some of the best tennis of her career in these conditions and should have just enough to get past Van Uytvanck.
Prediction: Vekic in 3
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Sorana Cirstea vs Victoria Azarenka
Head-to-head: Azarenka 3-1 Cirstea
Victoria Azarenka found a rich vein of form in New York last season, winning the title at the relocated WTA Cincinnati Open (Naomi Osaka withdrew before the final) and reaching her third final at the US Open, where she came up just short against Osaka. But that has not been a springboard for renewed contention at the top of the game, with Azarenka having struggled to stay fit in 2021 and failed to find her best tennis on the biggest stages.
That has seen her win just four matches across the first three Majors of the year. At Wimbledon, she lost to none other than Sorana Cirstea in the second round, despite having beaten the Romanian in all three of their previous meetings. Cirstea did lose to Emma Raducanu in the third round, but she has had a broadly impressive season and looked sharp in her opener in Montreal, beating Alison Riske 6-3 6-4. But Azarenka is a cut above and typically enjoys these conditions.
Prediction: Azarenka in 3
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