The penultimate WTA 1000 event of the season has arrived. Unfortunately, there are many top players absent from the event. We at LWOT already reported on five such withdrawals from the Guadalajara Open. Nonetheless, there are still many exciting players and matches in the draw. This includes Canadian Grand Slam finalists Eugenie Bouchard and Leylah Fernandez, whose first round contests are among five predicted here. But which players do you think will advance to the second round?
WTA Guadalajara Day 1 Predictions
Hailey Baptiste vs Lya Fernandez Olivares
Head-to-head: First meeting
Baptiste is making her fourth appearance at a WTA 1000 tournament. She was not able to manage a victory in her previous three efforts. This is a golden opportunity. No match is a guarantee, and the American will need to have a professional attitude. But Fernandez Olivares is barely ranked inside the Top 1000. The Mexican has been given a chance to compete at her home event in Guadalajara, but the crowd support is very unlikely to overturn a ranking difference of over 800 places between the two players.
Prediction: Baptiste in 2
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Arantxa Rus vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
Head-to-head: Rus 1-0 Sasnovich
Rus had a shock run to the title in Hamburg in July. The Dutchwoman has played just three tournaments since, and two of those were on the ITF Circuit. Sasnovich is not in particularly good form, only managing three wins throughout the American hard court swing. She is still likely to come through this one though. It would not be a shock if the season peters out for the 32-year-old Rus after the emotion of winning her maiden WTA title in Hamburg.
Prediction: Sasnovich in 2
Lauren Davis vs Alycia Parks
Head-to-head: Parks 1-0 Davis
This is likely to be a very close battle. Parks is ranked slightly above Davis, and both women are comfortably inside the Top 100. In addition, Parks and Davis had a close battle last month in Montreal, where Parks prevailed in the final set. Neither player has found much form since that match, with Parks not winning any of her main draw matches after that contest. It is impossible to predict this one with any certainty. Davis gets the smallest of edges in Guadalajara due to the drop in form Parks has experienced recently.
Prediction: Davis in 3
Leylah Fernandez vs Asia Muhammad
Head-to-head: First meeting
Fernandez has not been playing badly lately despite her results. She lost very close matches against Ekaterina Alexandrova and Beatriz Haddad Maia at the US Open and San Diego respectively. Muhammad is an experienced player, but currently sits outside the Top 300. It is a great opportunity for the American to perform at WTA 1000 level, but Fernandez should progress very comfortably in Guadalajara.
Prediction: Fernandez in 2
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Eugenie Bouchard vs Renata Zarazua
Head-to-head: Zarazua 2-0 Bouchard
The Guadalajara organizers have strongly promoted Bouchard’s appearance as a wildcard after the high number of withdrawals. The attention the former Wimbledon finalist brings is undeniable. But the reality is that she has not qualified for a Grand Slam main draw in over three years. However, Bouchard did get to the second round in Guadalajara last year. It is a tough one to call between two players ranked way outside the Top 100. Bouchard feeling a need to perform after being given a wildcard may lead to her winning, despite her losing record against Zarazua.
Prediction: Bouchard in 3
Main photo credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
