Round 1 action continues on Day 2 of the WTA Transylvania Open. The WTA Tour is reaching the end of 2021. This is one of the last opportunities for players to claim some much needed ranking points. Andrea Petkovic and Varvara Gracheva close the day on Centre Court in what promises to be a tight contest. Who will prevail? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Transylvania Open Day 2 Predictions
Danka Kovinic vs Alison Van Uytvanck
H2H: Kovinic 2-0
Danka Kovinic and Alison Van Uytvanck will go head-to-head for the second time in as many weeks. Kovinic shocked Van Uytvanck in the opening round in Tenerife last week, a 6-3 6-3 victory for the Montenegrin. Back-to-back opening round losses to Kovinic would be a bitterly disappointing way to follow winning a title, that’s the equation Van Uytvanck is staring at here after winning her fifth title in Nur-Sultan a few weeks ago. A determined Van Uytvanck should be good enough to avoid another loss to Kovinic. Kovinic’s form has generally been horrible as she has lost 12 of her last 15 matches. Expect Van Uytvanck to avenge last week’s loss in more favourable conditions indoors where she usually plays her best tennis.
Prediction: Van Uytvanck in 2
Jaqueline Cristian vs Kaja Juvan
H2H: Cristian 1-0
Jaqueline Cristian currently sits at a career high ranking of #105 thanks to some promising recent results. The Romanian wild card enters this week in decent form. The 23-year-old claimed one of the biggest wins of her career last week in Tenerife where she upset Tamara Zidansek in a rare main draw Tour-level victory. Meanwhile. Kaja Juvan has failed to extend any momentum she gathered be reaching the semifinals in Portoroz a few months ago. It was Cristian who prevailed 6-3 7-6 in their only previous meeting earlier this year in Belgrade. Juvan should have a better chance on this occasion given the hard court surface, her recent form isn’t great but there’s still enough to suggest she can pull off the win here.
Prediction: Juvan in 3
Jana Fett vs Rebecca Peterson
H2H: Peterson 1-0
Jana Fett has been handed a second chance in Cluj-Napoca. Fett was smashed by Anna Bondar in the final round of qualifying, where she won just two games. The Croatian has been handed a spot in the main draw as a lucky loser thanks to the withdrawal of Camila Osorio. Fett faces an in form opponent in the opening round. Rebecca Peterson won the ITF 60K event in Rancho Santa last week without dropping a single set. On paper this will be an easy victory for Peterson. Fett has been struggling for a while and has only won one main draw match at tour level events over the last couple of years. Peterson is a class above and should be too solid here.
Prediction: Peterson in 2
Andrea Petkovic vs Varvara Gracheva
H2H: First meeting.
Andrea Petkovic won her first WTA title in over six years in Cluj-Napoca earlier this year. That event was played on clay and at a different venue. Petkovic’s form since that title run hasn’t been very promising, victories have been scarce. Perhaps a return to Cluj-Napoca will inspire a form revival for the German?
Varvara Gracheva’s recent form has been solid. The 21-year-old reached a career high ranking of #77 last month after she reached the third round at a major for the first time at the US Open. The Russian has claimed notable victories over Tamara Zidansek, Marta Kostyuk, Paula Badosa and Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last couple of months.
This looks like an even matchup, highlighted by the fact that this is world #79 against world #80. Petkovic is the more experienced of the pair, but I’ll side with Gracheva here given her stronger former over the last couple of weeks and her overall better form on hard courts this season.
Prediction: Gracheva in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
