With the Australian Open done and dusted and the men’s tour inactive until the Davis Cup weekend, all eyes turn to the women’s events for the week. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match Including Garbine Muguruza vs Linda Noskova. Who do you think will win?
WTA Lyon Day 1 Predictions
Ana Konjuh vs Mayar Sherif
Head-to-head: first meeting
Konjuh started her year with a massive battle, only losing 10-7 in the deciding set tiebreak to Sophie Chang in the first round of Australian Open qualifying. The Croat fared better in qualifying this time round, outlasting Kateryna Baindl in a third-set tiebreaker to start before taking out Simona Waltert 6-2 in the third. Sherif has never played a professional match on indoor hard courts before but is 2-15 on hard courts over the past 13 months. This year, the Egyptian has only defeated No. 268 Lizette Cabrera. Konjuh should be winning here comfortably.
Prediction: Konjuh in 2
Jule Niemeier vs Olga Danilovic
Head-to-head: Niemeier 1-1 Danilovic
Niemeier is yet to win a set in 2023 but her opponents have been Iga Swiatek, Karolina Plisova, Madison Keys, and Marie Bouzkova. The German’s performance against the World No. 1 was solid though, so expect her to pick up some wins here. Danilovic is 4-2 on the season, losing from a set up against Clara Burel in the final qualifying round at the Australian Open but managed to qualify here in Lyon, picking up impressive wins over Katie Swan and Clara Tauson. Danilovic is the in-form player while Niemeier is more established with both of their games suiting indoor hard. It’s a tough one to call but I will lean toward Niemeier here.
Prediction: Niemeier in 3
Dalma Galfi vs Maryna Zanevska
Head-to-head: Zanevska 5-1 Galfi
Galfi enters on a seven-match losing streak dating back to Cluj last October. The Hungarian has not fared better this season, losing to Rebecca Marino in straights in her season-opener, retiring from her second match, and winning only two games against Qinwen Zheng in Melbourne. Zanevska’s 3-2 on the year, only losing to Sofia Kenin and Veronika Kudermetova. The Belgian dominates their head-to-head. winning five of their six previous matches across three different surfaces. Add that to Galfi’s current form and Zanevska becomes a strong favorite in this match.
Prediction: Zanevska in 2
Petra Martic vs Kristina Mladenovic
Head-to-head: Martic 6-2 Mladenovic
The players who have been in the Top 15 in the past struggling to find themselves at the moment. Martic got off to a sputtering start in 2023, dropping a set to Nadia Podoroska and failing to upset Caroline Garcia and Maria Sakkari before coming to Melbourne. There the Croat met expectations, beating Viktorija Golubic and losing to Shuai Zhang. Every match has been a fight for Mladenovic so far in 2023, defeating Maddison Inglis and Marina Bassols Ribera in three-set battles before losing to Katie Volynets. The former No. 10 will have the advantage of a home crowd but Martic has won six of their previous meetings. I expect a good match with the Croat winning out.
Prediction: Martic in 3
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