First-round matches at the WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will be concluded on Wednesday in Stuttgart, Germany. A few second-round matches will get underway on the same day. We predict all six matches on the schedule, with three of those in a separate article. So, who will advance?
WTA Stuttgart Day 3 Predictions
Marta Kostyuk vs Laura Siegemund
Head-to-head: Siegemund 1-0 Kostyuk
Marta Kostyuk is having a banner year and it will be intriguing to see how she fares on clay. It’s quite impressive she has won 15 matches already and missed a few tournaments due to illness. Laura Siegemund shook off any fatigue concerns after steering Germany to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals with two singles wins over Brazil last week. The 36-year-old won her doubles match on Tuesday to get the blood flowing again. This will be a tricky test for Kostyuk up against a player who has triumphed in this tournament in the past. This one will be on a knife edge, although Kostyuk’s consistency will likely win the day.
Prediction Kostyuk in 3
Anastasia Potapova vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: Potapova 1-0 Samsonova
It has been a disappointing year for Samsonova, particularly when you consider that she came very close to breaking the Top 10. That dream is fading after losing three matches in a row and finding herself on the verge of a Top 20 exit. And there are no guarantees she’ll be able to salvage her season if she can’t win most of her matches as the heavy favorite.
Potapova has fared marginally better than her compatriot, reaching three quarterfinals. The 23-year-old was a semifinalist at this tournament 12 months ago, scoring wins over Coco Gauff and Caroline Garcia. Her transition from hard to clay will be more accommodating and seamless than Samsonova’s, so the edge is with the younger Russian.
Prediction: Potapova in 3
Angelique Kerber vs Emma Raducanu
Head-to-head: first meeting
Despite their overall lack of experience on clay, Raducanu and Great Britain pulled off a major upset in their away tie against France to reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The former US Open champion scored decisive wins over Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry.
Kerber, meanwhile, was part of the German team that dominated Brazil in Sao Paulo, but she did not play a single minute. It is possible she will be recalled to the November Finals in Seville. And maybe this match in Stuttgart might telegraph a looming battle between Kerber and Raducanu at the Billie Jean King Cup should the two nations face off. Right now, it is the Briton who has shown admirable resourcefulness and is favored to consolidate her recent momentum.
Prediction: Raducanu in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
