The action is heating up on Day 2 of the WTA Transylvanian Open. All the attention will be on Emma Raducanu as she seeks her first victory since she claimed the US Open title over a month ago. Raducanu has a great opportunity to get back to the winner’s list when she faces an out of form Polona Hercog. We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Transylvania Open Day 2 Predictions
Marta Kostyuk vs Bernarda Pera
H2H: Kostyuk 2-0
An evenly poised clash. Marta Kostyuk and Bernarda Pera haven’t been in the greatest form of late. Kostyuk has lost five of her last six matches, whilst Pera hasn’t won back-to-back tour level main draw matches in over two years. The Ukrainian defeated Pera 7-6 6-4 in Brisbane last year in the most recent meeting between the pair. Kostyuk competed in the doubles final in Tenerife on Saturday, she will have little time to adjust to the very different conditions in Cluj-Napoca. Pera is coming off a decent week in Moscow where she made the second round via the qualifying draw and should be better adjusted to the indoors conditions having played her last couple of events on indoor hard courts. I’ll give the slight edge to the American.
Prediction: Pera in 3
Irina-Camelia Begu vs Irina Bara
H2H: First meeting
Irina-Camelia Begu has been in solid form of late. Begu reached the quarterfinals in Tenerife last week where she beat Marta Kostyuk and Donna Vekic before succumbing to eventual champion Ann Li. The Romanian also claimed a couple of victories in Indian Wells a few weeks ago, including a notable upset victory over Jil Teichmann. A decent pair of results, consolidating a run to the final Cleveland a few months ago.
Begu easily defeated Irina Bara at an exhibition event last year, a 6-1 6-0 win. Another straight set win for the experienced Begu is to be expected in their first official clash. Main draw victories at the tour level are rare for Bara, Begu’s recent form is good enough to suggest that Bara shouldn’t have much success here.
Prediction: Begu in 2
Emma Raducanu vs Polona Hercog
H2H: Frist meeting.
Emma Raducanu has a point to prove in Cluj-Napoca. The 18-year-old stunned the tennis world when she won the US Open last month but is yet to win a match since. The Brit lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in straight sets in her Indian Wells opener, her only match since the US Open. In fact, Raducanu has never won a regular WTA Tour-level match. Another opening round loss would be a problem; the pressure is on.
Luckily for Raducanu she is coming up against a struggling opponent. Hercog has lost 10 of her last 14 matches, including a straight set loss to world #421 Elvina Kalieva last week at an ITF event.
Raducanu will surely be too solid for Hercog on this occasion. The indoor hard courts should suit Raducanu’s style, much better than the slower outdoor courts of Indian Wells where she struggled. Hercog has done nothing to suggest she is capable of pulling off the upset here, even if Raducanu is vulnerable at the moment.
Prediction: Raducanu in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
