The tennis in Chicago has been brilliant across the first two days of the tournaments. Several of the best women on the WTA Tour are playing top tennis and there are several names in contention for the trophy. Among them are a former-US Open champion and the reigning Olympic gold medallist, who are both are in action on Wednesday. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Victoria Azarenka vs Hailey Baptiste and Elina Svitolina vs Amanda Anisimova. Who will advance?
WTA Chicago Day 3 Predictions
Kateryna Kozlova vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is a great opportunity for both of these players to make the round of 16 in a WTA 500 event. Both Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Kateryna Kozlova have played good tennis to get here. However, Kozlova’s win against fellow countrywoman and teen star Marta Kostyuk was a mightily impressive win for the world #140. A win like that is often hard to follow up and Ruse has spent far less time on court so far this week than the Ukrainian has. However, Kozlova’s game is better than her current ranking and when she is playing well she is a handful. Ruse is solid but lacks the weapons to assert herself in this match. Expect Kozlova to edge a tight one here.
Prediction: Kozlova in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Veronika Kudermetova vs Harriet Dart
Head-to-head: Kudermetova 1-0 Dart
Veronika Kudermetova has had a quiet season after a very strong start to this year. Nonetheless, the Russian is still a promising young talent with great weapons who can trouble anyone on her day. She also faces a very beatable opponent in Harriet Dart. The Briton has been hovering around #150 in the world since the end of 2018 and has failed to force her way into the top 100. She is a capable tennis player and could win this if Kudermetova is off. However, this match is firmly on the Russian’s racket and she looked good in the first round. Expect her to advance relatively comfortably here.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Jil Teichmann vs Magda Linette
Head-to-head: first meeting
A year ago I would have picked Magda Linette to win this comfortably. The Pole had already established herself as a good hard court player last year while Jil Teichmann still had ‘clay court specialist’ attached to her this time last year. However, that has changed considerably in recent months with the Swiss showing real improvement on the surface. That was evident for all to see when Teichmann made the finals in Cincinnati and she looks a real threat to continue charging up the WTA rankings as the year draws to an end. Linette is good enough to make this close and will almost certainly steal a set. However, Teichmann has looked too good in recent weeks not to back the Swiss.
Prediction: Teichmann in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Bianca Andreescu vs Shelby Rogers
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is a very tough first match in Chicago for Bianca Andreescu. Shelby Rogers is having a brilliant year, particularly on hard courts and has given several big names trouble this year. However, the Canadian showed at the US Open that her best tennis is coming back to her slowly but surely. Her agonising loss to Maria Sakkari was evidence of that fact. If she can bring a similar level to Chicago then she is surely a favourite to lift the trophy and will certainly find a way passed Rogers in this one. It may go the distance because Andreescu is still remembering how to win, but she should do exactly that in the end.
Prediction: Andreescu in 3
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
