The first WTA Cincinnati main draw contests take place on Tuesday. There is a busy schedule of matches, with 12 matches on the slate. Four of those contests are predicted in this article, with Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekic and two-time Grand Slam runner-up Karolina Pliskova among the players in action. But which players do you think will win?
WTA Cincinnati Day 1 Predictions
Karolina Pliskova vs Viktoriya Tomova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Pliskova hopes to build on the momentum of her performance at the National Bank Open. After a terrible performance at the Citi DC Open against Wang Yafan, she defeated Nadia Podoroska and competed well against the eventual champion Jessica Pegula. Tomova, like Pliskova, has been inconsistent this year. The fast conditions in Cincinnati make the big-serving Czech a slight favorite. Pliskova also won the title at the event in 2016.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Linda Noskova vs Lulu Sun
Head-to-head: First meeting
This will be both players’ first main draw match of the North American hardcourt season. Wimbledon quarterfinalist Sun’s only main draw match since her surprising run at SW19 was a first-round loss at the Olympics. This matchup could come down to fine margins between two good servers. I trust Noskova to be more consistent throughout the match than Sun. It remains to be seen whether Sun’s level will drop for the rest of the year, as often happens to players who have surprising runs at big tournaments.
Prediction: Noskova in 3
Daria Kasatkina vs Ekaterina Alexandrova
Head-to-head: Kasatkina 2-2 Alexandrova
Kasatkina is the higher-ranked player. However, the conditions in Cincinnati give Alexandrova the best possible chance of beating her. The quick courts give her an opportunity to get free points on her serve, while Kasatkina’s serve could sit up to be attacked. Kasatkina has also struggled against powerful players this year, such as Danielle Collins and Amanda Anisimova. Alexandrova strikes the ball very flat and might be able to rush her fellow Russian enough times to prevail.
Prediction: Alexandrova in 3
Donna Vekic vs Ashlyn Krueger
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is a tough first match on hardcourts since March for Olympic silver medalist Vekic. Krueger overcame four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the final qualifying stage. This will be another battle of the powerful hitters between two women who like to play aggressively. Overall, I trust Vekic enough after what she has achieved in recent months to back her, but an upset in this matchup would not be a surprise.
Prediction: Vekic in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
