Day 2 at the ASB Classic in Auckland will see a plethora of first-round matches come to conclusion. There will be two former champions on schedule, with Sloane Stephens leading the way when she faces Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova. Who will advance into the second round? We also have predictions for matches featuring Sofia Kenin and Coco Gauff.
WTA Auckland Day 2 Predictions
Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: first meeting
There is very little to separate between Cocciaretto and Blinkova. The Russian was a surprise title winner last season, bagging the Cluj-Napoca crown all the way from qualifying. She rejoined the Top 100 as a result and added a few match wins towards the end of the year. Cocciaretto, meanwhile, won a few admirers during the close season, streaking to win her biggest title at the WTA 125K level in Tampico. She was in terrific form in Mexico scoring some high-quality wins over Marie Bouzkova, Camila Osorio, and Magda Linette. If there were doubts about whether she could excel on hard courts, then she had the perfect response. This should be a close match and a very difficult one to call, but I’ll side with the Italian.
Prediction: Cocciaretto in 3
Lauren Davis vs Tamara Zidansek
Head-to-head: Zidansek 1-0 Davis
Auckland has been a happy hunting ground for Americans in recent seasons. In four of the last six editions, an American has won this event. Lauren Davis put together an odds-defying run in 2017 to win her only WTA title. Davis has unfinished business with Zidansek. She lost to the Slovenian in two tiebreaks at the Adelaide International last season. Zidansek will continue to toil even on her least preferred surface, but it will be hard to keep her defenses watertight on quicker conditions.
Prediction: Davis in 3
Sloane Stephens vs Rebeka Masarova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Rebeka Masarova scaled two rounds of qualifying and will sense an upset against an opponent who is unpredictable. Stephens is playing in Auckland for the first time since 2016. She won the event back then, beating Julia Goerges in the final. She arrived in New Zealand much earlier than anticipated, which might be an indication the American is taking things very seriously at this early stage of the season.
Prediction: Stephens in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
