The remainder of the first-round WTA action in Adelaide is set to be played out on Day 3, finishing the first round at one of the first tournaments of 2023. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match, including three matches in a separate article. Who do you think will win?
WTA Adelaide Day 3 Predictions
Anhelina Kalinina vs Victoria Azarenka
Head-to-head: first meeting
Kalinina struggled in Australia last season but has already won more matches on the continent this year. The Ukrainian, who enjoyed a strong finish to 2022 with a Limoges title in December, took out Dayana Yastremska and Anna Bondar in qualifying, allowing the latter only two games. Azarenka has had many fond experiences in Australia, a two-time Slam champion in Melbourne. Though that was a decade ago, the former No. 1 has had good results in Melbourne more recently too, reaching the second week there last season. Though Kalinina has the advantage of match play coming in, I am still leaning toward Azarenka as the favorite here.
Predictions: Azarenka in 3
Claire Liu vs Priscilla Hon
Head-to-head: first meeting
Hon enters with a wild card after a solid year of play on the ITF circuit. The 24-year-old came away with three titles and actually did good on her wild card to Adelaide last season, when she defeated Petra Kvitova to start her season. Unfortunately, that would be Hon’s only tour-level win until August in Vancouver. Liu enjoyed a solid season on the main tour, winning a 125 title in Paris and reaching the final of a 250 in Rabat a week later. The 22-year-old qualified with wins over Magdalena Frech and Katerina Siniakova, going down a bagel against the Czech before coming back to win 6-1 in the third. Liu’s quality of opposition was about the same if not stronger than Hon, which should make her a solid favorite here.
Predictions: Liu in 2
Anett Kontaveit vs Qinwen Zheng
Head-to-head: first meeting
Kontaveit endured a season largely consisting of struggle in 2022, dropping from No. 2 to No. 17 over the course of the year. The Estonian has a lot to prove going into this season, having to show consistency rather than just flashes of good play in runs like she did last year. Zheng’s breakout season in 2022 began with good play in Australia, when she reached the semifinals in a Melbourne 250 as a qualifier before qualifying for the Australian Open and winning a round. The 20-year-old would only improve and finished the year inside the Top 30. These are two players meeting in the middle while they are headed in two different directions. It’s a close call but I believe Zheng will win here.
Predictions: Zheng in 3
