With the season starting and building up to the Australian Open, we look at the WTA Adelaide 2 Day 1 matches. Some very exciting match ups in this round. As always, Last Word on Tennis shares our predictions, split between this and one other article. Who do you think will win?
WTA Adelaide 2 Day 1 Predictions
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Jil Teichmann
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova last played competitive tennis in May last season at the Italian Open in both singles and doubles. The Russian, but playing now under a neutral flag due to the ongoing ban on Russian and Belarussian players because of the war in Ukraine, still has direct entry to this event.
Opponent Jil Teichmann played in October in Guadalajara and lost in the first round in singles and doubles. However, the Swiss entered the qualifying here and was the seventh seed. An impressive three set battle against the American top seed in qualifying stands Teichmann in good stead for this match up
Prediction: Teichmann in 3
Jaimee Fourlis vs Ekaterina Alexandrova
Jamiee Fourlis ended the season in Australia making the semi final in Traralgon in singles. Staying home the Australian had a full off season before heading to Adelaide last week. Unfortunately, the Australian lost in the opening round after a three set battle.
Opponent Ekaterina Alexandrova was the eighth seed at last weeks Adelaide event, but she also lost in the first round to unranked Czech Marketa Vondrousova in a tight match. Alexandrova will be hoping to put that behind her and defeat the home player this week. This will be the first meeting of this pair and is an exciting prospect. The crowd will be behind Fourlis being the home player
Prediction: Fourlis in 3
Danielle Collins vs Karolina Pliskova
Danielle Collins is seeded tenth in Adelaide 2. The American was seeded fifth in Adelaide last week and lost in the first round to Elena Rybakina after winning the first set. So Collins will be looking to move the season forward and her preparations for the Australian Open and getting as far in the tournament as possible.
Opponent Karolina Pliskova was also in Adelaide last week and lost in the first round too, but was beaten in straight sets. This week the Czech has come through qualifying, so will be more up to the court conditions. Pliskova ended last season ranked #32 and will be desperate to improve her ranking this year.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
