With five intriguing matches on the slate on day three at the WTA Lyon Open, there should be plenty of entertaining action for the fans at the Palais des Sports Gerland. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule in Lyon. But who will advance?
WTA Lyon Day 3 Predictions
Anna-Lena Friedsam vs Vitalia Diatchenko
Head-to-head: Friedsam 2-0 Diatchenko
There is no obvious explanation for why Anna-Lena Friedsam, once ranked as high as 45th in the world, has so badly lost her way in recent years. The German currently finds herself outside the world’s top 120 and has made a forgettable start to this season with a record of 1-4 for the year. Vitalia Diatchenko had made a similarly poor start to the year, but the Russian found some form last time out in Macon, where she won an ITF-level event. If she can maintain that level of tennis, or even something close to it, she should have too much for the German here.
Prediction: Diatchenko in 2
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Viktorija Golubic vs Greet Minnen
Head-to-head: Golubic 2-0 Minnen
Viktorija Golubic will be the favourite heading into this match, not least because she is ranked 43 places above Greet Minnen, but it may be a close contest. Their last meeting certainly was, with Golubic eventually digging out a 6-4 4-6 7-6 victory in Saint-Malo last season. She also won their only other meeting, which came in the quarterfinals at this very event last season, 6-3 6-0. Minnen, however, has found some form, reaching back-to-back finals at ITF-level in Altenkirchen and Nur-Sultan, winning the first. Still, Golubic, despite an indifferent start to the season, is a different calibre of opponent. Expect the Swiss to have just about enough here.
Prediction: Golubic in 3
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Katie Boulter vs Anna Bondar
Head-to-head: first meeting
Katie Boulter is having a fine week at the WTA Lyon Open. The Briton started her campaign in the qualifying, dismissing Estelle Cascino 6-3 6-0 in the first round before beating Laura Siegemund 6-4 6-4 to secure her spot in the main draw. There, she rallied past sixth seed Anna Konjuh from a set down to 5-7 6-0 6-3. Anna Bondar, meanwhile, got the better of Yuriko Miyzaka after a three-set battle. In truth, this looks like a match that could go either way. But Boulter is a better player than her ranking suggests and looks to be in a good rhythm this week. Expect that to carry her into the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Boulter in 3
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Stefanie Voegele vs Sorana Cirstea
Head-to-head: Cirstea 4-1 Voegele
Stefanie Voegele may not be the player she once was, but the Swiss has shown in recent weeks that she can still cut it at this level. Already this season she has come through the qualifying at the Australian Open, in Doha and now at the WTA Lyon Open. She did, however, suffer first-round defeats in both Melbourne and Doha, with her victory over Elise Jacquemot in Lyon her first of the season at tour-level. Second seed Sorana Cirstea has made a fine start to the season, highlighted by her run to the fourth round at the Australian Open, and has also dominated this rivalry, winning four out of their five meetings. She should have the beating of Voegele here.
Prediction: Cirstea in 2
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Varvara Gracheva vs Alison Van Uytvanck
Head-to-head: Van Uytvanck 1-0 Gracheva
Predictably enough, Alison Van Uytvanck beat Vera Zvonareva in the first round at the WTA Lyon Open, even if the manner of her victory (she lost just three games) was slightly surprising. She may find things slightly less straightforward up against Zvonareva’s compatriot Varvara Gracheva. The Russian had to battle to get past Kristina Kucova in the first round, but displayed impressive composure when it mattered most to record a 7-6 7-6 win. Still, despite Gracheva’s solid run to the round of 16 in Dubai as a qualifier, Van Uytvanck seems the better player of the pair at the moment and won their only previous meeting.
Prediction: Van Uytvanck in 3
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