It promises to be an exciting opening day in Mexico with 12 first-round matches on the slate at the WTA Guadalajara Open and more than one former-Grand Slam champion in action. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Sloane Stephens vs Linda Fruhvirtova and Bianca Andreescu vs Jil Teichmann. But who will secure a spot in the second round?
WTA Guadalajara Day 1 Predictions
Ludmilla Samsonova vs Kaia Kanepi
Head-to-head: Samsonova 2-0 Kanepi
Ludmilla Samsonova continues to burn hot and cold. The Russian won the title in Tokyo but followed that success with a first-round defeat in San Diego, albeit at the hands of former-US Open winner Bianca Andreescu. This looks like a kinder first-round draw. Kaia Kanepi has shown at times this season that she can still mix it with the best in the world, but her powers are unquestionably on the wane. She has also lost both of her previous matches against Samsonova, including earlier this year Washington. She was competitive in that match and may well be in this one as well, but expect Samsonova to have the edge.
Prediction: Samsonova in 3
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Marta Kostyuk vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
Head-to-head: first meeting
It has been a disappointing few weeks for Marta Kostyuk. Since reaching the semifinals in Granby (where she withdrew with an injury) she has not made it past the second round at any of the four tournaments she has entered. Perhaps fortunately for her, Aliaksandra Sasnovich has been in similarly indifferent form. She reached the final in Cincinnati, but won just four games and has looked out of sorts since. This may not be the highest quality encounter as a result. But something will have to give and it looks likelier to fall the way of Sasnovich. Her greater experience could well prove decisive.
Prediction: Sasnovich in 3
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Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Camila Osorio
Head-to-head: Osorio 1-0 Alexandrova
It has been a very solid couple of weeks for Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Russian won the title in Seoul, dropping just one set in the process, and she backed that up by reaching the semifinals in Ostrava where she took world #1 Iga Swiatek to three sets. Camila Osorio has not been in such impressive form, with the Colombian managing only a handful of second-round appearances since the conclusion of the clay-court season. She did win her only previous match against Alexandrova, but it is hard to see her repeating that here.
Prediction: Alexandrova in 2
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Belinda Bencic vs Leylah Fernandez
Head-to-head: Fernandez 2-0 Bencic
It’s been a difficult season for Leylah Fernandez with the 20-year-old seemingly struggling to cope with the pressures that followed her run to the US Open final last season. There have been some fine moments for the Canadian, she is too good of a player for that not to be the case, but she also has not kicked on as she might have done. She has won both of her previous meetings with Belinda Bencic though, including at the French Open this year. But the Swiss is playing the more solid tennis at the moment, even if she does have some injury concerns after withdrawing in Ostrava. Provided she is fit and firing, expect her to win this match.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
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