Day 3 of the WTA Iasi Open promises to be exciting for the fans. Teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva is one of the players set to be in action. As always, we at LWOT provide our analysis and predictions for all the contests taking place–including four in a separate article. But which players do you think will win on Day 3 in Romania?
WTA Iasi Day 3 Predictions
Chloe Paquet vs Simona Waltert
Head-to-head: Paquet 3-1 Waltert
Paquet defeated Maria Lourdes Carle for the second time in the space of a few days in the last round, having also done so in Palermo last week. Waltert easily overcame Ekaterina Makarova 6-2 6-2. Although Waltert impressed in the previous round, Paquet is the favourite to progress. She is in good form, almost reaching the semifinal in Palermo heading into this event. Her all-round game is likely to prove too much for her Swiss opponent.
Prediction: Paquet in 2
Elina Avanesyan vs Petra Martic
Head-to-head: Avanesyan 1-0 Martic
These two met on the grass courts of Eastbourne at the end of June. Surprisingly, Avanesyan, whose record on grass is less impressive than Martic’s, prevailed in straight sets. There will undoubtedly be many long rallies in this matchup since Avanesyan is one of the hardest players to hit through on clay. However, Martic is narrowly favoured to avenge her Eastbourne defeat. The Croatian veteran has played well during the post-Wimbledon clay swing so far, including competing well against the eventual champion Zheng Qinwen in Palermo. If Martic strikes the ball as cleanly as her last few matches, she has a good chance of progressing.
Prediction: Martic in 3
Jaqueline Cristian vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Head-to-head: Cristian 2-1 Ruse
Cristian leads the head-to-head record, but Ruse won their most recent meeting, which was on clay at Roland-Garros last year. Both Romanians have similar styles. Each tries to dictate matches using their powerful forehands. Right now, Cristian can be trusted to do that more consistently than her compatriot. She is also in good form after reaching the semifinal in Palermo last week.
Prediction: Cristian in 2
Mirra Andreeva vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
Head-to-head: First meeting
Sasnovich had an unexpected run to the final last week in Budapest. Can she perform again just a few days later against Andreeva? It seems like a tough ask. The teenager was outstanding in her 6-1 6-2 demolition of Noma Noha Akugue in the previous round. Admittedly, Sasnovich plays a grittier style of tennis than Akugue, but that is unlikely to stop Andreeva. Expect her to control this contest throughout.
Prediction: Andreeva in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
