The WTA clay court season continues in Spain with the Mutua Madrid Open. This 1000-level event welcomes a 96-woman singles draw that features some of the world’s best. Day 3 of main draw action features some intriguing second-round matchups, including No.6 seed Coco Gauff vs Irene Burillo Escorihuela. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Madrid. But who will advance?
WTA Madrid Day 3 Predictions
Marta Kostyuk vs Camila Osorio
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Marta Kostyuk and Camila Osorio will square off for the first time in Round 2 in Madrid. As the No. 32 seed, Kostyuk received a bye into the second round. Osorio is coming off a solid 6-3 6-4 win over Clara Burel. Osorio has found dominance in her early career on the clay. She holds a winning percentage of 72.2 percent compared to 44 percent on all other surfaces. She is playing in her first event in nearly two months and is poised for a strong clay-court season. I favor her ability to grab control of most rallies in this match.
Prediction: Osorio in 2
Magda Linette vs Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Magda Linette and Marketa Vondrousova will square off for the first time in Round 2 in Madrid. As the No. 17 seed in the draw, Linette received a first-round bye. Vondrousova spent just over an hour on-court in her Round 1 win. The 23-year-old holds a 12-2 record since the beginning of March and is starting to find the form that once made her a top-20 player. Linette, on the other hand, has lost three consecutive matches. The Pole does not have the best history on the clay and will have trouble breaking through Vondrousova. I will take the young Czech in a decider.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 3
Ana Bogdan vs Shelby Rogers
Head-to-Head: Bogdan 1-0 Rogers
Ana Bogdan overcame a set deficit to take down Anna Bondar during a three-hour marathon of a match in Round 1. The 30-year-old Bogdan has had a tough start to the year, and a few wins in Madrid could go a long way for her confidence. She matches up against American Shelby Rogers in Round 2. Rogers won two matches in Charleston at the beginning of the month and has always been a solid clay courter. I expect Rogers to dictate the pace of this match and win a tight two-setter.
Prediction: Rogers in 2
Coco Gauff vs Irene Burillo Escorihuela
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Coco Gauff is looking to rebound after a tough start to her clay-court season last week in Stuttgart. The No. 6 seed is hunting for her first appearance in a WTA 1000 final and has the confidence to make a run in Madrid. She takes on the Spanish Irene Burillo Escorihuela in Round 2. The 25-year-old came from a set down to defeat Kaia Kanepi in the first round and has won three matches this week after receiving a wildcard entry into the qualifying draw. Despite playing solid tennis over the past few days, Burillo Escorihuela does not have the firepower to hang with the American.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Main Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
