Day 2 WTA action in Miami will wrap up the first round on the women’s side and determined who gets to face off against the seeds in their next matches. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. Who’s going out in the opener?
WTA Miami Day 2 Predictions
Dalma Galfi vs Kristina Kucova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Galfi has looked good this year on her push towards the Top 100 with a 12-6 record. The 23-year-old qualified with wins over Olga Govortsova and Christina McHale. If Galfi wins the first round here, she should break the Top 100 for the first time in her career after Miami. Standing in her way is Kucova, who has had a tough time this year, winning only four of her 12 matches this year. Last week, the 31-year-old beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse in three sets but lost to Anett Kontaveit. This is a tough one to call but I feel Galfi’s momentum should take her through.
Prediction: Galfi in 3
Laura Siegemund vs Marie Bouzkova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Siegemund shut down her last season after the Olympics and did not come back until after the Australian Open. Now she finds herself outside the Top 200 and will attempt to come back to the main tour at 34 years old. The German is 3-2 on the season with a quarterfinal at a 25k in Porto and a final qualifying round loss to Katie Boulter in Lyon.
Bouzkova had to qualify for the main draw here but is on a roll this year with a 16-5 record. The 23-year-old qualified after saving a match point against Anastasia Gasanova and a tough three-setter against Anastasia Potapova. Bouzkova has already had some good runs this year. She reached the final of Guadalajara and is coming off a third-round run as a qualifier in Indian Wells. Bouzkova did have to retire from a match last week but two wins later it is clear the Czech is fit. I expect Bouzkova to take the win here.
Prediction: Bouzkova in 2
Anhelina Kalinina vs Ekaterine Gorgodze
Head-to-head: Kalinina 1-0 Gorgodze
Kalinina’s tear through the ITF Tour last year took her to the Top 50, though she is having a harder time on the main tour. Last week showed some promise though as the 25-year-old defeated Clara Burel and won the first set against Iga Swiatek in her second-round loss. Gorgodze finally made her way through qualifying for the first time this year in her sixth attempt. The Georgian beat Maddison Inglis and Harmony Tan in very close three-set battles, spending almost five and a half hours on the court. Kalinina won their previous meeting at a 25k in Orlando last February while dropping only three games and I expect the Ukrainian to be victorious once again
Prediction: Kalinina in 2
Naomi Osaka vs Astra Sharma
Head-to-head: first meeting
After playing only nine events last year, Osaka’s ranking has plummeted and now has to dig herself out of the bottom half of the Top 100. The 24-year-old lost in a very good match to Amanda Anisimova at the Australian Open and fell apart in Indian Wells after suffering abuse from a crowd member during her match against Veronika Kudermetova.
Osaka will be glad to draw Sharma, who broke the Top 100 last season but has a rough 3-7 record this season. Two of the Australian’s wins came last week where she beat Yue Yuan before losing in the final qualifying round and entering the main draw as a lucky loser. Sharma took her chance and took out Magda Linette before losing in the second round to Victoria Azarenka. Osaka has won her opening match in Miami in each of her five previous appearances, and I do not expect her to lose in the first round here.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
