The second leg of the “Sunshine Double” is in full swing as the WTA Tour prepares for Day 4 action at the Miami Open. Day 4 welcomes some of the tournament’s top seeds to the court in second-round action after receiving a Round 1 bye. No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka kicks off her Miami Open campaign against veteran American Shelby Rogers. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Miami. But who will advance?
WTA Miami Day 4 Predictions
Leylah Fernandez vs Belinda Bencic
Head-to-Head: Fernandez 2-2 Bencic
Leylah Fernandez and Belinda Bencic will square off for the fifth time, looking to unlock their head-to-head split. Bencic, the No. 9 seed in the draw, holds a 15-5 record this year and is approaching her previous top-five form. Conversely, Fernandez has not been to a quarterfinal since the first week of the year and has struggled with consistency. I believe Bencic will wear down Fernandez with her relentless pressure off both wings.
Prediction: Bencic in 2
Petra Kvitova vs Linda Noskova
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Czech natives Petra Kvitova and Linda Noskova are set to square off for the first time in the second round of the Miami Open. Kvitova is coming off a run to the Indian Wells quarterfinals and feels confident in her ability from the ground. Noskova is 13-5 this year and seems to be the next breakout star on the WTA Tour. Both players excel on hard courts and should give the fans a high level of ball striking. I believe this becomes a “passing off the torch” match for Czech women’s tennis as the 18-year-old Noskova gets passed 33-year-old Kvitova in three sets.
Prediction: Noskova in 3
Karolina Muchova vs Lin Zhu
Head-to-Head: first meeting
No. 32 seed Zhu Lin is seed at a 1000-level event for the first time in her career. The 29-year-old can reach the third round of a 1000-level event for the first time with a win on Friday. She will square off against 26-year-old Karolina Muchova. The Czech native powered her way through qualifying before thrashing Jil Teichmann 6-0 6-2 in Round 1. She has confidence on these Miami courts and is a tough player to beat when firing from the baseline. While Lin has had a solid start to the year, I favor Muchova in her current form.
Prediction: Muchova in 2
Aryna Sabalenka vs Shelby Rogers
Head-to-Head: Sabalenka 3-0 Rogers
Aryna Sabalenka has arguably been the best player on the WTA Tour this season. Currently ranked No. 2 in the world, the 24-year-old holds a 17-2 record this year with titles in Adelaide and Melbourne. She reached the Indian Wells final last week and has proven to be a consistent force on hard courts. American Shelby Rogers has the challenging task of knocking off the in-form Sabalenka. Rogers had a nice three-set win over Sloane Stephens in Round 1. While she has the capability to beat Sabalenka, it would require her to play a near-perfect match. I do not expect that to happen, as I see Sabalenka overpowering the American in straight sets.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
