The second round of the WTA Nur-Sultan Astana Open will be completed on Wednesday with eight matches taking place including Ana Konjuh vs Anastasia Gasanova and Zarina Diyas vs Rebecca Peterson. We have predictions for all the matches taking place on hard courts in Kazakhstan.
Aleksandra Krunic vs Kaja Juvan
Juvan leads the h2h 2-0, including a win recently in Portoroz, where Juvan made the semifinals. Juvan has had far and above her best ever season on the WTA Tour this year, and overcame Greet Minnen in three sets in the first round. Krunic has qualified for two WTA tournaments in a row, and reached the semifinals in Cluj earlier this season. Krunic is far away from her top 40 ranking but is a competitive player right now, Juvan should still have an edge though. Juvan in 3
Zarina Diyas vs Rebecca Peterson
Peterson won their only meeting, and put together semifinal showings in Chicago and prior to that Bastad. Diyas had quarterfinals in Lausanne and Chicago, both players advanced from their opening matchs after three sets. This should be a close match, but Peterson looks to be slightly better than the home player Diyas. Peterson in 3
Clara Burel vs Jaqueline Cristian
Cristian just won their match on clay in Karlsruhe, the Romanian player reached the semifinals at that tournament, and is currently at a career high ranking, have never previously been a big success on the WTA Tour. Burel reached the final in Wiesbaden recently, and did the same in Lausanne, also a career high ranking, both of these players look to be near their best. Cristian’s h2h edge should continue here though. Cristian in 2
Yulia Putintseva vs Vera Lapko
Putintseva is the home player and top seed, she also beat Lapko at last year’s US Open. Despite struggling at the US Open this year, Putintseva reached the semis in Portoroz, and has put together a solid season, with a WTA title in Budapest before the US Open. Lapko is a former top 70 player, she hasn’t been a factor on the WTA Tour since 2018 though and Putintseva should be in cruise control. Putintseva in 2
Main Photo from Getty Images
