Expect an entertaining day four at the Australian Open with 16 second-round matches on the slate at Melbourne Park. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Aryna Sabalenka vs Shelby Rogers, Leylah Fernandez vs Caroline Garcia and Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur. But who will reach the round of 32?
Australian Open Day 4 Predictions
Yulia Putintseva vs Karolina Pliskova
Jim: This has the makings of entertaining battle. But it is Karolina Pliskova who should be winning it. The Czech has a good record at the Australian Open with her powerful game usually rewarded by the surfaces at Melbourne Park. Yulia Putintseva will doubtless look to disrupt Pliskova’s rhythm, but expect the 30th seed’s big serve and forehand to see her safely into the third round.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Damian: Pliskova came through the opening round in surprisingly dominant fashion, fending off the dangerous Wang 6-1 6-3. She’s not exactly playing her best tennis at the moment and Putintseva can be a rough matchup for someone lacking rally tolerance, but the Czech has a much higher upside to rely on.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Yesh: Pliskova has fallen far from her peak level, but she looked pretty good in her opening match. Putintseva’s game can really frustrate the Czech, but the Kazakh isn’t at her best right now, either.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
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Lauren Davis vs Elise Mertens
Jim: Lauren Davis has found a rich vein of form of late and comes into this match having won her lats eight, dropping just one set in the process. Will she be able to spring an upset here? It’s not unthinkable by any stretch of the imagination with Elise Mertens in indifferent form.
Prediction: Davis in 3
Damian: Mertens survived a dramatic match against Muguruza, who served for the match. Davis is on fire at the moment though, having taken the title at Hobart. She could ride that confidence and get past the Belgian, who’s been having a bit of a lull in her form in recent months.
Prediction: Davis in 3
Yesh: Mertens beat a relatively solid Garbine Muguruza in the opening round. Lauren Davis won’t pose a bigger threat than that.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
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Zhang Shuai vs Petra Martic
Jim: Petra Martic delivered an assured first-round performance to beat Viktorija Golubic in straight sets, but she will likely be made to work rather harder to beat Zhang Shuai, who won a seesawing encounter with Patricia Maria Tig in the first round. This could probably go either way, but on the evidence of the first round, the Croatian is the slight favourite.
Prediction: Martic in 3
Damian: Zhang should be pretty comfortable with the conditions at the Australian Open this year, especially the balls that suit the flat trajectory of her strokes. Perhaps it’s enough to give her a slight advantage in this seemingly extremely even matchup.
Prediction: Zhang in 3
Yesh: Zhang outlasted a game Tig in a match that went late Wednesday night in Australia. The quick turnaround will make it tough to take out a solid opponent.
Prediction: Martic in 2
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Katie Volynets vs Veronika Kudermetova
Jim: Veronika Kudermetova looks set for a big tournament. The Russian does everything well if nothing excellently, with her forehand the pick of her shots. Katie Volynets has been making solid progress over the last year or so, but this should be a challenge too far too soon for the American.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Damian: The draw is opening up for Kudermetova, especially after her closest high seed, Kasatkina, has been eliminated. The Russian has been one of the most consistent players on the WTA circuit and while she’s yet to hit a truly big result, she might do that in Melbourne this year.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Yesh: Volynets reached the second round as a qualifier and lhas ooked solid, but that’s as far as she will go. Kudermetova is just too good.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
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