We’ve got another busy grass-court week ahead of us. Along with the Birmingham Classic (WTA 250), main draw action is also starting at the 2022 German Open (WTA 500) in Berlin. One of the matches of the day will have Karolina Pliskova take on Kaia Kanepi, who’s always had a knack for upsets. Who do you think will advance? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Berlin Day 1 Predictions
Xinyu Wang vs Tamara Korpatsch
Head-to-head: First meeting
Xinyu Wang is an exciting prospect and for as little time as she’s spent on the main tour, the Chinese showed last year that she can play on grass (qualified for Wimbledon among other things). Despite a much longer career, Tamara Korpatsch won’t really have a lead in terms of experience on the surface. Besides, the Austrian is a solid player who won’t go below a certain level, but also doesn’t have much upside. Xinyu Wang’s ceiling we’re not going to fully know in a long while.
Prediction: Wang in 3
Jil Teichmann vs Daria Saville
Head-to-head: Teichmann 1-0
Jil Teichmann had an excellent clay-court season, but taking it to grass doesn’t have to come easy. Especially as she’s only played five official matches on this surface, winning just one of them. Daria Saville doesn’t have an incredible grass pedigree either, but playing through the qualifying should help her in this one. Teichmann’s power could definitely prevail, but perhaps the Swiss will turn out to be a little too unfamiliar with the surface still.
Prediction: Saville in 3
Karolina Pliskova vs Kaia Kanepi
Head-to-head: Pliskova 3-0
The ultimate giant-killer Kaia Kanepi hasn’t been able to defeat Karolina Pliskova yet, even though when they played for the first time the Czech was merely 16 years old. Pliskova is not having a great campaign, but she was able to start picking up some wins near the end of the clay season and grass is a surface that really suits her surface and often-lacking movement. Kanepi is known for producing upsets but for whatever reason, she’s always produced them in Slams rather than the lower-tier events. Pliskova on grass will be tough even for her.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
