The WTA Tour heads to Bogota, Columbia, for a clay-court 250-level event. This tournament is one of the official kickoffs of the 2023 clay-court season as players look to adapt to the surface after playing most of the first three months of the year on hard courts. The capital of Columbia welcomes a 32-woman draw competing for its title. On Day 1, former world No. 5 Eugenie Bouchard takes on Ylena In-Albon. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the clay courts of Bogota. But who will advance?
WTA Bogota Day 1 Predictions
Laura Pigossi vs Antonia Samudio
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Laura Pigossi is the No. 6 seed in Bogota. She finished as the runner-up in last year’s event and has shown a liking to the Bogota courts. Pigossi takes on 22-year-old Columbian Antonia Samudio. This will be Samudio’s first career main draw tour-level match. Unfortunately for the hometown fans, Pigossi has too much experience to drop this match against a player ranked outside the world’s top 1000.
Prediction: Pigossi in 2
Kamilla Rakhimova vs Raluka Serban
Head-to-Head: Rakhimova 2-0 Serban
21-year-old Kamilla Rakhimova broke into the top 100 for the first time earlier this year and is looking to continue her upward trajectory. She is the No. 4 seed in Bogota and will take on Raluka Serban in Round 1. Serban currently holds a career-high ranking of No. 161. The 25-year-old has been a strong ITF player and is looking to translate that success to the Tour. I expect this match to be highly competitive, but I give a slight edge to Rakhimova. She is the more consistent player from the baseline.
Prediction: Rakhimova in 3
Eugenie Bouchard vs Ylena In-Albon
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Former world No. 5 Eugenie Bouchard is back on the court and will compete in her first clay-court match since Sept. 2020. Bouchard is 1-1 this season, and match fitness is a concern. She will square off against Ylena In-Albon in Round 1. The 24-year-old Switzerland native is 0-8 in her career in tour-level matches. She can, however, take some solace in the fact that clay is her best surface. That said, Bouchard should come into this match ready to compete. I like her chances to advance here.
Prediction: Bouchard in 2
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
