Day 2 of the WTA Elite Trophy produced much thrilling tennis for the fans in Zhuhai to enjoy. There are three more exciting matches scheduled for the third day. As always, we at LWOT give our predictions for all the matches. But which players do you think will win on Day 3?
WTA Elite Trophy Day 3 Predictions
Daria Kasatkina vs Magda Linette
Head-to-head: Kasatkina 2-2 Linette
Kasatkina got an outstanding win against Barbora Krejcikova on Day 2. It was particularly impressive considering the Russian was soundly beaten by the same opponent less than two weeks ago in Zhengzhou. Kasatkina will seal her place in the semifinals with another victory here. By contrast, Linette lost in straight sets to Krejcikova on Day 1, and must prevail here to have any hope of qualifying for the semifinal. Expect many long rallies in this clash between two of the best movers on the WTA Tour. Overall, it is hard to go against Kasatkina at the WTA Elite Trophy after her previous display. The younger Kasatkina may also have a slight edge if it is a long match, which is possible between these two.
Prediction: Kasatkina in 3
Liudmila Samsonova vs Zhu Lin
Head-to-head: Zhu 1-0 Samsonova
This will be Samsonova’s first match of the event. The conditions should suit the Russian’s game perfectly, with the fast courts an ideal fit for her big serve and flat groundstrokes. However, the conditions also assist the game of Zhu. She is a hard court specialist, and usually thrives most on faster hard courts. Zhu played very well in her triumph against Veronika Kudermetova on Day 1, and has home advantage here once again. This is likely to be tight, but Zhu gets a slight edge to win and qualify for the semifinal at the WTA Elite Trophy. She soaks up pace well on fast courts, and the home crowd could also make an important difference.
Prediction: Zhu in 3
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Jelena Ostapenko vs Donna Vekic
Head-to-head: Ostapenko 1-1 Vekic
It may be difficult for Vekic to recover mentally and physically for this match. The Croat suffered a very tough loss against Qinwen Zheng on Day 2, losing a very long match 6-4 6-7 6-4, despite leading 4-3 with a break in the deciding set. The mercurial nature of her opponent may give Vekic some hope. Ostapenko’s level often fluctuates wildly. For instance, she defeated Iga Swiatek at the US Open with a stunning performance, but also lost to the current world #489 Dayeon Back a few weeks ago in Seoul. Nonetheless, the Latvian is very likely to defeat a wounded Vekic at the WTA Elite Trophy if she is near her best.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
