The third edition of the WTA Trophee Clarins in Paris is most certainly the biggest, given the amount of talent and star power in the field. It may only be a 125-level tournament, but it features two former Grand Slam champions on Tuesday’s schedule. So, who will advance?
WTA Trophee Clarins Day 2 Predictions
Alize Cornet vs Yulia Starodubtseva
Head-to-head: first meeting
Yulia Starodubtseva is stepping up this year to feature predominantly at the 125K and tour-level tournaments. That transition hasn’t quite been successful. So, occasionally, she has played ITF tournaments to restore her confidence. The schedule is crystal clear for Alize Cornet ahead of her impending retirement after Roland Garros. After a run of eight straight defeats, Cornet snapped that dismal run by reaching a semfinal in Saint-Malo. This is her penultimate visit to Paris to play a pro tournament. Her recent form is decent, suggesting she wants to end her career on a high note.
Prediction: Cornet in 3
Elena-Gabriela Ruse vs Lin Zhu
Head-to-head: first meeting
Elena-Gabriela Ruse navigated a difficult qualifying match against the veteran Vera Zvonareva to reach the main draw. She rallied from a break deficit in the deciding set to finish the match strongly. Lin Zhu is not having a great time on clay courts. Her baseline discipline on the dirt is not on par with what she is capable of doing on hard courts. Her last match win on the surface was at the 2022 French Open qualifying. Do not be fooled by the rankings gap here. The Romanian is the clear-cut favorite.
Prediction: Ruse in 3
Emma Navarro vs Lauren Davis
Head-to-head: Davis 1-0 Navarro
Davis leads the head-to-head here, winning their meeting in Budapest in 2022. But a lot has changed in the span of two years. Davis’ decline in the last 18 months has been notable, with injuries scuppering her late-career plans. Navarro, for her part, has emerged as one of the standout performers in the first half of the season. Only the WTA’s elite players have more wins than the 22-year-old fast-rising American, which tells you she is not lacking in confidence. It hasn’t been a dream clay swing for Navarro, but this is a match she will be winning comfortably.
Prediction: Navarro in 2
Simona Halep vs McCartney Kessler
Head-to-head: first meeting
Halep has accepted a wild card to play in Trophee Clarins. It’s the only way she can get into WTA tournaments right now, as she works on building her ranking from scratch. Having withdrawn from Madrid, it’s a sensible decision, as she chose a low-key event to ease her body into competition after a long layoff. This is just her second match of 2024. Kessler, meanwhile, will be playing her 29th match of the season. She has been successful at this level, winning the Puerto Vallarta 125K at the end of February. But given the comparative gulf in clay expertise and the American’s recent poor run of results, Halep is bound to earn an emotional win.
Prediction: Halep in 2
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
