Day 2 of the WTA event in Guadalajara won’t feature the top seeds yet and will even have matchups between players outside the top 100, but it is sure to feature plenty of exciting matches with unpredictable outcomes. With it being the week right after the US Open, several players will be trying to take advantage of the situation to score a rare title at this level and give it their all. We predict all of Tuesday’s matches, split between this and a separate article. Who do you think will win?
WTA Guadalajara Day 2 Predictions
Kimberly Birrell vs Ena Shibahara
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both players came through qualifying playing at a very good level and both are similar level players overall who have never faced each other before. With that in mind, it should be a very tight match decided by the finest of margins. Both players had decent runs at the US Open as well, so both are in good form and have legitimate hopes of having a good run this week if they make it through this match.
Prediction: Shibahara in 3
Lucrezia Stefanini vs Ana Sofia Sanchez
Head-to-head: first meeting
#178 vs #285 might not look like a very compelling matchup on paper, but this could be pretty interesting. The two players have never faced before, making their matchup dynamics a bit of a mystery, and both have hopes of a good run here. In general, however, hard courts seem to clear favor Stefanini, while Sanchez earns most of her wins on clay.
Prediction: Stefanini in 3
Marina Stakusic vs Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Schmiedlova had an amazing run at the Olympics, coming very close to winning a medal against all expectations. However, on hard courts she hasn’t been anywhere near as dangerous, losing her first match at the US Open and getting routined by Maria last week at the Guadalajara Challenger. She should still have the edge over Stakusic but it is bound to be a very close match.
Prediction: Schmiedlova in 3
Magdalena Frech vs Emina Bektas
Head-to-head: first meeting
Frech had a disappointing performance at the US Open, losing in the first round, and she will be trying to make amends here in Mexico. Bektas has been performing poorly as of late, including last week in the Guadalajara Challenger and, on paper, she shouldn’t be able to pose much resistance to the much higher ranked Frech here.
Prediction: Frech in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
