The matches at the WTA Chicago Open go up a notch on Day 2 as some of the tournament favorites take to the courts for the first time. We have all of the matches covered, of course including matches featuring Venus Williams and Alize Cornet. Who do you think will win?
WTA Chicago Day 2 Predictions
Sorana Cirstea vs Tereza Martincova
Head-to-Head Record: Cirstea 1-0 Martincova
Cirstea will want to quickly put her last match out of her mind. In retrospect, her hammering at the hands of Jil Teichmann in Cincinnati doesn’t look quite as bad as the Swiss reached the final, but this week the Romanian will look to build confidence ahead of the US Open. Martincova will be no pushover, though. The Czech has had a couple of deep runs at WTA250 events in the last few months, reaching the final in Prague on hard courts. However, Martincova’s loss in the opening round of qualifying to another Romanian, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, is not an encouraging sign. I make Cirstea the favorite to progress here in a competitive opening encounter.
Prediction: Cirstea in 3
Ana Bogdan vs Heather Watson
Head-to-Head Record: First meeting
This is a difficult match to call. The Romanian has qualified comfortably but against sub-standard opponents and will find this a much tougher task. Watson seemed to find some good hard court form in Cincinnati winning three matches in three sets and putting up a strong display against eventual champion Ashleigh Barty. It is those displays that have convinced me to edge towards Watson here but in the manner of her Cincinnati victories, I think that we could see it happen in three sets.
Prediction: Watson in 3
Quinn Gleason vs Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-Head Record: First meeting
The Czech looks to be a comfortable favorite here. Gleason is far from a youngster–she has been a pro for six years now–but her ranking is currently down at #466 and is far more used to playing on the ITF tour than WTA events. In fact, the American has lost eight of her last nine first-round matches at this level. I believe that this record will become nine in ten after this match as Vondrousova should be too classy and too powerful in this match.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
