Following the fourth and final Slam of the season, the WTA Tour returns to Osaka, Japan, for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships. This is the 12th edition of the event but the first since 2019. Day 2 play in Osaka features some high-quality matchups, including 2019 champion Nao Hibino taking on Rebecca Marino and No. 2 seed Tatjana Maria matching up against Panna Udvardy. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Osaka. But who will advance?
WTA Osaka Day 2 Predictions
Nao Hibino vs Rebecca Marino
Head-to-Head: first meeting
2019 winner Nao Hibino returns to the courts of Osaka as the reigning champion. The 28-year-old has split her 2023 season between tour-level events and the ITF level. She holds a 35-24 record across all competitions but enters this tournament on a three-match losing streak. Her Round 1 opponent, Rebecca Marino, is also on a three-match losing streak. The 32-year-old Canadian is just 6-17 in tour-level matches this season. She has struggled with consistency and has found it tough to put together two solid sets. I expect Hibino to cruise in this match as she looks to defend her 2019 title.
Prediction: Hibino in 2
Diane Parry vs Elizabeth Mandlik
Head-to-Head: first meeting
21-year-old Diane Parry squares off against American qualifier Elizabeth Mandlik in Round 1 at WTA Osaka. Parry has had an up-and-down season as she looked to find some continuity at tour-level. She plays well on all surfaces and has a game that should allow her to continue to progress through the ranks. Mandlik has also focused her 2023 efforts on tour-level matches but has consistently struggled to advance through qualies. That was not the case in Osaka, as she won two matches as the No. 1 qualifying seed. This should be a back-and-forth match, but I favor the baseline consistency of the Frenchwoman.
Prediction: Parry in 3
[cta id=591 type=cta]
Himeno Sakatsume vs Alexandra Eala
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Qualifiers Himeno Sakatsume and Alexandra Eala will square off with a terrific opportunity to reach the second round of a WTA event. Both women are currently ranked outside the top 175, so a few wins in Osaka would go a long way. Sakatsume has been a consistent threat at the ITF level this season. She holds a record of 28-13 with three finals appearances. Eala’s 2023 ITF record of 27-12 is nearly identical. She has also reached three finals this year. Picking this match is challenging because these are two very similar players. I give the slight edge to Eala as she holds a 14-2 record over the last month.
Prediction: Eala in 3
Tatjana Maria vs Panna Udvardy
Head-to-Head: first meeting
No. 2 seed Tatjana Maria gets her Japan Open started against Panna Udvardy of Hungary. The 36-year-old German has played solid tennis this summer, holding an 11-3 record since late July. She is strong on all surfaces and has played the most confident tennis of her career over the last 18 months. Udvardy comes into this event on a six-match losing streak. None of those losses were against a player ranked as high as Maria. I have no reason to believe she magically raises her level for this contest.
Prediction: Maria in 2
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
