All the remaining 12 first-round matches have been scheduled for Tuesday at the 2024 ATX Open in Austin, Texas. Former World No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova will make just her fourth appearance post-pregnancy, while home crowd favorites Sloane Stephens and Peyton Stearns will try to make it to the next stage of the event as well. We also predict the rest of the day’s matches, split between two articles. One features Danielle Collins vs Olivia Gadecki and the other featured Anhelina Kalinina vs Sara Bejlek. Who do you think will prevail?
WTA Austin Day 2 Predictions
Kamilla Rakhimova vs Yanina Wickmayer
Head-to-head: First meeting
Yanina Wickmayer’s resurgent season last year was a fun follow, but the Belgian is 0-4 in 2024 and that definitely included a few winnable matches. She used to be an incredible prospect before the injuries though and can still tap into that quality from time to time. Feels like she might be one of these players who really need the rhythm and confidence, especially to keep going after her forehand. Kamilla Rakhimova is the more reliable out of the two at the moment.
Prediction: Rakhimova in 3
Tereza Martincova vs Sloane Stephens
Head-to-head: First meeting
Sloane Stephens picked up a quarterfinal run here last year and while there’s generally not much in terms of patterns when it comes to her results, it does feel like this is a part of the season where she usually produces a few good matches. Her last event in Dubai ended on a second-round exit, but she actually made Iga Swiatek work for the win and kept her on the court for almost two hours. If she can deliver the same focus and intensity, Tereza Martincova is an opponent she should take out.
Prediction: Stephens in 2
Anastasija Sevastova vs Julia Riera
Head-to-head: First meeting
Since making her comeback in November, Anastasija Sevastova has only played three indoor events so far. A quarterfinal in each of them certainly isn’t a bad result and the former World No. 11 still presents plenty of quality especially in terms of her hand skills. Pretty tough to know what to expect from her as she leaves Europe for the first time since returning to courts, but Julia Riera is a player who will allow her time to dictate and might be worked around the court a bit too much by the Lavian’s dropshot.
Prediction: Sevastova in 3
Peyton Stearns vs Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Peyton Stearns went 0-4 in her first four events of the season, but then ended that run with a better showing in Dubai (she beat Mirra Andreeva and took a set off Marketa Vondrousova). The 22-year-old was an Austin quarterfinalist last year and has been known to perform pretty well in front of the home crowd in general. With Anna Karolina Schmiedlova’s solid if unspectacular ground game, the Stearns forehand should decide the matchup here.
Prediction: Stearns in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
