The Day 3 schedule for the 2023 WTA Qatar Total Open in Doha is unbelievably packed. All eight second-round matches take place on Wednesday with so many of the world’s greatest players in action. Most of the seeds could be in trouble as they’re facing some really tough opposition. Who do you think will come out on top? We also have predictions for the other four matches, including Iga Swiatek vs Danielle Collins.
WTA Doha Day 3 Predictions
Sofia Kenin vs Veronika Kudermetova
Head-to-head: Kenin 1-0
Sofia Kenin produced one of the biggest surprises of the opening round. It wasn’t the fact she took out Liudmila Samsonova, it was her only dropping four games along the way against last week’s Abu Dhabi runner-up. The American is coming back to her best form, although her progress has been moderately slow. It would still be a step up to defeat someone as solid as Veronika Kudermetova, who’s coming off a great win against Barbora Krejcikova.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Victoria Azarenka vs Belinda Bencic
Head-to-head: Azarenka 2-0
Victoria Azarenka owns two head-to-head wins over Belinda Bencic, but they haven’t played since 2019. The Swiss has been in incredible form this year, only losing to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka so far. That includes two WTA 500 titles already, one of them in Abu Dhabi last week. The big question is how she’s gonna hold up physically but seeing how she was fine against Viktoriya Tomova in the opening round (lost one game!), this should be a great opportunity for her to grab a premier victory over the former World No. 1.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
Jelena Ostapenko vs Jessica Pegula
Head-to-head: Pegula 2-1
Jessica Pegula beat Jelena Ostapenko at this very event two years ago. The American started her 2023 campaign incredibly well, suffering just one loss so far to Victoria Azarenka in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Can she break away from the tag of a consistent player, but one who doesn’t really contend for big titles? Based on some of the matches she’s played this year already, she can. The ever-dangerous Jelena Ostapenko might have something to say about that though and this should be an absolute cracker.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
Caroline Garcia vs Karolina Muchova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Karolina Muchova could be one of the comeback players of the year if she can remain healthy for a change. When 100%, she’s got the chance to hang with anyone and has been particularly impressive anytime she gets to show up on the big stage. Caroline Garcia seems like she’s yet to hit the incredible form that catapulted her to such heights in late 2022. Muchova should have a nice opportunity to make the upset, which would really put her back on the tennis map.
Prediction: Muchova in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
