We’ll have five matches on Day 3 of the WTA Japan Open Tennis Championships in Osaka with a first-round spillover that could not be played due to rain. There are some interesting matchups for the WTA’s undercard, who will be vying to reach the Top 100 this week. Who will make the most of that opportunity and reach the quarterfinals in Osaka?
WTA Osaka Day 3 Predictions
Xinyu Wang vs Jil Teichmann
Head-to-head: first meeting
21-year-old Xinyu Wang is sitting at a career-high mark of 39 coming to this tournament. She’s forged a career-best season. Since the start of August, Wang won a second W100 title on the ITF Tour and reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the US Open. Jil Teichmann was once a Top 30 player, but her ranking has taken a sharp nosedive since the start of 2023. The form heavily favors the Chinese player.
Prediction: Wang in 2
Yulia Putintseva vs Valeria Savinykh
Head-to-head: first meeting
Yulia Putintseva kicked off her Asian swing with a fine win over the talented Diana Shnaider. The Kazakh’s wizardry from the baseline proved insurmountable for the hard-hitting Russian who was picked apart by Putintseva’s variation. Valeria Savinykh was once a Top 100 player but features predominantly on the ITF circuit these days. And she’s done most damage there, winning 36 of her 54 matches in 2023. She was able to pick up a rare main draw at Tour level when she upset Anna-Lena Friedsam in her opening match. But the challenge of Putintseva is likely to be a step too far, particularly after such a strong start by the Kazakhstani player.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
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Nadia Podoroska vs Mai Hontama
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both Nadia Podoroska and Mai Hontama went the distance in their opening matches and narrowly pulled through. A month ago, Hontama would have been the clear-cut favorite after a sensational run to the quarterfinal of the Stanford 125K as a qualifier, scoring high-quality wins over Kimberly Birrell and Rebecca Peterson. However, a week ago she retired from a high-profile W100 event in Tokyo. Although she bounced back very convincingly in her opening match, the momentum has died down. I’ll give the edge to the experienced Argentine.
Prediction: Podoroska in 3
Ashlyn Krueger vs Jessika Ponchet
Head-to-head: first meeting
These are two players who hold Top 100 ambitions this season. And it almost feels like this match could have significant implications in that regard. Kruger is the more likely to break that barrier and has been so close to truncating her three-digit ranking this season. The American teenager snapped her three-match losing streak with a dominant win over Kateryna Baindl. It was the same scenario in Ponchet’s win over fellow one-hander Viktorija Golubic. Krueger has greater control of her serve and the heavier shots, so she’ll likely win this match.
Prediction: Krueger in 2
Anna Kalinskaya vs Harriet Dart
Head-to-head: Kalinskaya 1-1 Dart
Kalinskaya defeated Jule Niemeier in her opening match 6-4 6-4 to pick up her second win since recovering from a serious hamstring injury. Dart, meanwhile, won her opening match against Linda Fruhvirtova on the second day after play was suspended due to rain on Monday. Dart is very comfortable on this surface and on such a high bouncing court, but the Russian has a few more wrinkles in her game and is neatly skillful from the baseline.
Prediction: Kalinskaya in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
