The 2023 WTA Guadalajara Open Akron has suffered from a significant amount of withdrawals with players outside the top 200 getting directly accepted into the main draw. Who will pick up the pieces? The tournament kicks off with fourteen singles main draw matches on Sunday. Sloane Stephens, who usually thrives in these Mexican altitude conditions, takes on Ann Li. Who do you think will prevail?
WTA Guadalajara Day 1 Predictions
Anhelina Kalinina vs Grace Min
Head-to-head: First meeting
The altitude conditions in Guadalajara could give a bit of an advantage to the players coming from the qualifying draw, given they already had two opportunities to compete on them. In many cases here, we’ll be wondering whether that’s enough to overcome the gap in quality. In this case, probably not. Grace Min has been grinding the ITF Tour without all that much success this year and Anhelina Kalinina should be able to tune in her game in time, even after playing San Diego a few days earlier.
Prediction: Kalinina in 2
Martina Trevisan vs Demi Schuurs
Head-to-head: First meeting
Demi Schuurs hadn’t won a singles match since 2015 prior to the qualifying, but she managed to take out Elvina Kalieva and Isabella Shinikova in straight sets. It would be a wild story if she kept going here as it’s basically been nine years since she last played a full singles schedule. It seems like Martina Trevisan controls the ball well enough for her to handle the conditions and stop Schuurs’s run.
Prediction: Trevisan in 2
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Dayana Yastremska vs Ana Sofia Sanchez
Head-to-head: First meeting
It’s been a fantastic story for Ana Sofia Sanchez to come through the qualifying at a WTA 1000 in her home country, but it doesn’t feel like she’ll have much to say in this matchup. That doesn’t even mean she’ll lose, it’s just that Dayana Yastremska should be able to decide where this match goes with her overwhelming power. The Ukrainian has a very high ceiling and a floor that’s almost as low. She’s trending upwards recently though.
Prediction: Yastremska in 2
Elise Mertens vs Yanina Wickmayer
Head-to-head: First meeting
These two are among the top three highest-ranked Belgians at the moment. Elise Mertens leads the charts with Greet Minnen also just a few spots ahead of Yanina Wickmayer. The 33-year-old has had a fantastic resurgence this year, reminding everyone why there was a point when she was one of the hottest talents in the world. Her serve should really enjoy the Guadalajara conditions, although Mertens also has an argument as she’ll be able to control the ball better than most.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
Sloane Stephens vs Ann Li
Head-to-head: First meeting
Ann Li only dropped two games in her qualifying campaign, but she also needed just one victory to get to the main draw. She gets to play the extremely inconsistent Sloane Stephens, who often has performances where she never truly gets into a match. Altitude conditions in Mexico have generally been pleasant for the American though and she made the quarterfinals here last year. She can disappoint, but she rarely does here.
Prediction: Stephens in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
