Jasmine Paolini is the second highest-ranked Italian on the WTA Tour right now, Martina Trevisan is the third. As luck would have it, it’s these two that will have to battle each other in the second round of the 2023 Guadalajara Open Akron. Who do you think will come out on top?
WTA Guadalajara Day 2 Predictions
Emma Navarro vs Maria Mateas
Head-to-head: 1-1
Emma Navarro is coming off a brilliant run to the semifinals in San Diego and we’ll see how she handles the big difference when it comes to the playing conditions. That was a real breakout though as the 22-year-old has finally arrived and looks ready to take the tour by storm. Maria Mateas has a head-to-head win against her from a few years back, but Navarro avenged it already this season and is expected to do it again, even if it might take her a while to tune in her strokes.
Prediction: Navarro in 2
Anastasia Potapova vs Emiliana Arango
Head-to-head: First meeting
Emiliana Arango is definitely quite familiar with altitude conditions, although she would usually encounter them on clay courts in Colombia. Will that be enough for Anastasia Potapova? There’s a clear difference in class, although this wouldn’t be the craziest upset ever and the Russian looked lost when she played in Guadalajara last year. Expect her to do better this time, although Arango should make things slightly tricky.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
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Martina Trevisan vs Jasmine Paolini
Head-to-head: Paolini 2-1
Jasmine Paolini is flying very high this year with the Cincinnati quarterfinals, Palermo runner-up appearance, and the two WTA 125 final runs. She gets to face a familiar foe in her compatriot Martina Trevisan now. It should be a nice clash of styles and Paolini probably needs to trust her attacking forehand if she wants to win this match. Luckily for her, she’s playing with a lot of confidence at the moment and that will help her hit with freedom.
Prediction: Paolini in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
