As the WTA Tour switches to grass, the ecotrans Ladies Open welcomes one of the best 500-level draws of the year to its grounds. WTA Berlin day two features many star-studded matchups, including a top-20 showdown between Maria Sakkari and Victoria Azarenka. As always, we at LWOT have the preview and predictions for all matches around Berlin’s grounds. But who will advance?
WTA Berlin Day 2 Predictions
Ons Jabeur vs Xinyu Wang
Head-to-Head: first meeting
No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur squares off against qualifier Xinyu Wang in the first round of WTA Berlin. Jabeur, who recently pulled out of the 2024 Olympics, had a tough start to the season. That said, she is 6-2 over the last month and has always been a very good grass-court player. Wang is 2-6 at the WTA level on grass. Jabeur should roll.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
Donna Vekic vs Jule Niemeier
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Wildcards Donna Vekic and Jule Niemeier in the first round of a loaded WTA Berlin draw. Vekic has been a terrific grass-court player throughout her career, posting a 14-7 record on the surface over the last two seasons. Jule Niemeier has also had some grass success and is 2-2 on the surface this season. I expect a back-and-forth battle, but Vekic’s ability to push the ball deep into the corners and follow up with strong net play should be the difference.
Prediction: Vekic in 3
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka
Head-to-Head: Sakkari 0-3 Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka has dominated the head-to-head matchups against Maria Sakkari, including a 6-4 6-1 beatdown in Rome last month. The 34-year-old is 21-10 this season but has been searching for her first WTA title since 2016. Sakkari has had an up-and-down 2024 season and reached the semifinals of WTA Berlin last year. That said, I like the combination of consistency and power from Azarenka to lead her to the second round.
Prediction: Azarenka in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
