Day 2 in Miami, at the second WTA 1000 of the year, won’t feature the seeds just yet, but it will have plenty of exciting action, including a face-off between two struggling former Grand Slam champions in Emma Raducanu and Bianca Andreescu, something very rare for the first round of an event.
As always, we here at LWOT predict every match on the day. We split them between three other articles, featuring Leylah Fernandez vs Lesia Tsurenko, Sloane Stephens vs Shelby Rogers, and Karolina Muchova vs Jil Teichmann.
WTA Miami Day 2 Predictions
Xinyu Wang vs Anna-Lena Friedsam
Head-to-head: Wang 1-0 Freidsam
Their one previous meeting was a very tight one on grass last year and it should be no different here. Both players have a great opportunity to get a rare match win at WTA 1000 level and will do everything in their power to seize it. Freidsam had to navigate through the qualifying and that extra match play and confidence might just be enough to give her the edge here.
Prediction: Freidsam in 3
Varvara Gracheva vs Maryna Zanevska
Head-to-head: Gracheva 1-0 Zanevska
Gracheva is the overall better player and she should have a lot of confidence coming into this game after her dominant run through the qualifying. Zanevska comes into this match on the back of four consecutive defeats and she’s unlikely to put an end to her streak here.
Prediction: Gracheva in 2
Anna Bondar vs Taylor Townsend
Head-to-head: Townsend 1-0 Bondar
Bondar might be the higher ranked player, but it’s actually Townsned who should be slightly favored in this match between two struggling players: Bondar has lost her lost four matches, while Townsend has lost her last three and five of her last six. Both players will be desperate to get some momentum here and give it their all for a rare match win.
Prediction: Townsend in 3
Emma Raducanu vs Bianca Andreescu
Head-to-head: Andreescu 1-0 Raducanu
It’s very rare to see a match between top former Grand Slam champions in round 1 of an event but here we are. Both players have been struggling massively since their Grand Slam victory but both are still very young and surely confident of their chances of returning to their previous glory. It’s very hard to call a favorite here given the circumstances.
Prediction: Andreescu in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
