The first round is finally completed on Day 3 in Courmayeur as Tenerife champion Ann Li returns to the tennis courts. It’ll be an interesting transition for her, but the rest of the day’s play is between players who have already triumphed once in the altitude in the Italian Alps. All five of the matches on the third day near Mont Blanc are previewed and predicted here.
WTA Courmayeur Day 3 Predictions
Dayana Yastremska vs Katerina Kozlova
Head-to-head: first meeting
A first meeting between two talented Ukrainian ball strikers here. The indoor conditions play well to both of their strengths so it is a tough one to call. Yastremska is seen as the better prospect but she has only won two matches in the same week once since her return to the tour, and that was back in early July. Kozlova has the better recent form, albeit still with many ups and downs. On this occasion I am going to favour the more penetrative serve of the younger player, Yastremska is the better player overall and if she plays to a good level she should have enough to win this one.
Prediction: Yastremska in 2
Kamilla Rakhimova vs Ann Li
Head-to-head: Rakhimova 1-0 Li
The Russian has had to wait a while to get her tournament going against Li because the American won on Sunday in Tenerife. Hopefully she has been getting good hours of practice in because Li is, obviously, in excellent form. There is statistically little between the pair over the course of their WTA careers but Li carries the edge on serve and that could be telling in this battle. Their previous meeting was on the clay of Roland-Garros so couldn’t be more different to this match in the mountains, Li’s defeat there means little.
Prediction: Li in 3
Clara Tauson vs Giulia Gatto-Monticone
Head-to-head: first meeting
Tauson is the tournament favorite with the bookmakers and she demonstrated some reasons why in a convincing first round victory. Her powerful serve and forehand will be very difficult to combat this week. In this match I am fairly sure that the world #192, with a losing record on tour, will not be the one who will find the answers to this problem.
Prediction: Tauson in 2
Aliona Bolsova vs Ludmilla Samsonova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Bolsova did indeed do as I predicted in the last round and edged out a more illustrious opponent. She is proving to be more adept on a faster surface than most Spanish players but she comes up against a player here who is similar in that way. Samsonova won in Berlin and went deep at Wimbledon this summer so clearly enjoys some speed in the game. The Russian is a big server and heavy hitter and I expect her to be too dangerous for Bolsova to keep under wraps.
Prediction: Samsonova in 2
Alison Riske vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: Riske 1-0 Kalinskaya
This is the toughest match to call on the day’s slate. Riske was far too good for Ankita Raina in the opening round and we discovered little about her there. However, Kalinskaya was very impressive in defeating a decent Martina Trevisan. Riske beat the Russian very comfortably in 2019 but the Russian has improved a lot since that day and actually has a better serve win % than the American which will stand her in good stead here.
However, Riske is by far the more experienced of the two and will realize that her game is well suited to this challenge this week. This is a big chance for her to win a first title since June 2019 and I think she will find a way to come out on top in a close match.
Prediction: Riske in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
