Second-round action gets underway at the WTA Miami Open on Thursday, Day 3 of the event. Newly-crowned Indian Wells champion Elena Rybakina faces a tough test in her opener taking on Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya. We have predictions of four matches from a jam-packed Day 3 of the tournament in this article. Who will advance into the third round?
WTA Miami Day 3 Predictions
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Tereza Martincova
Head-to-head: Haddad Maia 3-0 Martincova
Martincova came through qualifying and won her first main draw match of the season against Tamara Korpatsch. For a set and a half, it looked like Martincova was going to become the German’s first victim of 2023 (Korpatsch is still winless this year), but turned it around to win in three. Haddad Maia will be a next-level challenge for the Czech in the second round. The Brazilian lefty can be intermittently erratic, but very few possess the ground stroke power and grit in winning points. Expect the 13th seed to pick up her first straight-sets win since Doha.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 2
Viktoriya Tomova vs Danielle Collins
Head-to-head: Collins 1-0 Tomova
The Miami Open venue might be different from the first time Danielle Collins announced herself on the big stage back in 2018, but she still regards this event as a happy hunting ground. Tomova won four games the last time she faced Collins at the 2022 French Open. And with the American desperately not looking to lose further ground in the rankings this fortnight (defends quarterfinal points), another drubbing is in store for the Bulgarian lucky loser.
Prediction: Collins in 2
Irina-Camelia Begu vs Qinwen Zheng
Head-to-head: first meeting
Despite securing a straight sets win in her first-round match, Begu struggled mightily on serve against Filipina wild card Alexandra Eala. She was broken four times by the 17-year-old although her experience and veteran know-how proved sufficient to snatch the win. But she is unlikely to get away from another poor serving day against Qinwen Zheng. The 20-year-old is living up to the hype as China’s newest star and a top-20 breakthrough could be on the cards this week. Her lack of match practice is cause for concern having not played since Dubai. But on talent alone, Zheng is well clear.
Prediction: Zheng in 2
Elena Rybakina vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: Kalinskaya 1-0 Rybakina
Rybakina has risen to a career-high #7 this week, but she must feel on top of the mountain. She won her first WTA 1000 in Indian Wells beating the top-two ranked players during the fortnight. If there are doubts about whether Rybakina would back up her Wimbledon success, then she has emphatically vanquished them. The Kazakh will embark on sweeping the Miami title and join a gaudy list of women to have won the Sunshine Double. On paper, this looks like a tricky opener for Rybakina. Kalinskaya is not the unseeded player you want to see eye to eye in the first round of a tournament. But with Rybakina bouncing around the court with all the confidence in the world, expect her to get a grip on this match
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
