Although rain delays have plagued the start of the National Bank Open, it’s been a thrilling start to the week at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto. Day 2 welcomes some very intriguing matchups including Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi. As always, we at LWOT have the coverage of that match as well as all other happenings around the grounds of Toronto. We split the day’s new matches between three articles. In addition to this article, the other two feature Madison Brengle vs Coco Gauff and Maria Sakkari vs Sloane Stephens. But who do you think will advance?
WTA Toronto Day 2 Prediction
Claire Liu vs Sara Sorribes Tormo
Head-to-Head: Sorribes Tormo 1-0 Liu
Claire Lu and Sara Sorribes Tormo will square off for the first time since 2020 in the first round of the National Bank Open. Both players favor the clay courts so this is a great opportunity to advance at a WTA 1000 hard court event. Liu, who advanced through two rounds of qualifying, had just won just two of her previous six matches. Sorribes Tormo, on the other hand, has won five of her last seven matches and has been playing with a lot of confidence this season. I will take the Spaniard to win in straight sets due to her recent fine form.
Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in 2
Camila Giorgi vs Emma Raducanu
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Camila Giorgi and Emma Raducanu square off in one of the matches of the day in Toronto. Raducanu looks to round into form as she approaches the US Open, where she defends 2000 points. Coming off of a quarterfinal run at the Citi Open, the 19-year-old looks more comfortable than in her previous summer months. Giorgi, who rebounded her season with a strong grass-court run, is looking to translate that success to Toronto. In her recent losses, a lack of focus has been at the forefront of the problem for the Italian. I do, however, think she locks in for this Centre Court match and comes out victorious.
Prediction: Giorgi in 3
Belinda Bencic vs Tereza Martincova
Head-to-Head: Bencic 3-0 Martincova
2015 xhampion Belinda Bencic will kick off the Day 2 night session on centre court against Tereza Martincova. Bencic, the #12 seed, is 8-1 in two career appearances at this event. Martincova, who worked her way through two tough qualifying matches, will be up against it on Tuesday night. Before her qualifying victories, Martincova had lost six of her previous seven matches. I believe her poor form paired with Bencic’s comfortability in Canada will lead to an easy win for the Swiss native.
Prediction: Bencic in 2
Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi
Head-to-Head: Kanepi 1-0 Osaka
Noami Osaka and Kaia Kanepi square off as two unseeded players at the National Bank Open. Kanepi won their only previous meeting, a hard-fought three-setter at the 2017 US Open. The 37-year-old is on her last legs as she looks to keep strong form coming off of a runner-up finish at the Citi Open. You have to wonder if the 9 hours and 29 minutes Kanepi spent on court in DC will catch up to her in Toronto. Regardless, I believe the power of Osaka will wear down the veteran over three sets.
Prediction: Osaka in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
