The Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo is the last WTA 500 event of the season. The tournament has been hit with a spate of withdrawals, but that has opened up an opportunity for the lower-ranked players to reach the deep end of the draw. Five first-round matches are scheduled on Monday, with former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu being the headline act. Who will progress?
WTA Tokyo Day 1 Predictions
Veronika Kudermetova vs Viktoriya Tomova
Head-to-head: Kudermetova 1-1 Tomova
Kudermetova sensationally won this tournament last year, beating both Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula to the title. And with the field massively depleted of such star power this year, it would not take anyone by surprise if history were to repeat itself. The Russian has not lost before the semi-final stage in Tokyo but has a tendency to overcomplicate her game. Still, that numbing power probably gives her the edge over an inconsistent Tomova, whom Kudermetova had already defeated on Asian soil.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Varvara Gracheva vs Mai Hontama
Head-to-head: first meeting
Hontama impressed at this event last year by reaching the second round stage from qualifying. She briefly ran Swiatek close and lost a tight one. Twelve months on, she’ll be determined to go even deeper. With no wild card forthcoming, Hontama has taken the long route of qualifying to reach the main draw again. So, she has some momentum. Gracheva hasn’t played in two weeks after a run to the Hong Kong 125K semifinal. The Frenchwoman is more of a power player with a robust forehand that can be damaging. But if Hontama plays to her strength and covers the court with her quick feet, she can extract sufficient errors from Gracheva’s racket.
Prediction: Hontama in 3
Magdalena Frech vs Zeynep Sonmez
Head-to-head: first meeting
Frech should now finish the season as Poland’s No. 2 player, and a Top 20 spot is well within reach. She’s made huge strides in her ranking and game. She won her maiden WTA title in Guadalajara. That was the culmination of the hard yards she put in this season. With three Top 20 wins in the last three weeks, Frech will be tough to stop in Tokyo. Sonmez will be on the back foot in this contest as she hasn’t tested herself regularly at this level.
Prediction: Frech in 2
Leylah Fernandez vs Ajla Tomljanovic
Head-to-head: Tomljanovic 1-0 Fernandez
Tomljanovic merits recognition for her awesome work since recovering from myomectomy. Having started the year outside the Top 200, Tomljanovic has climbed up to 85th and can realistically push for a Top 50 spot before the end of the year. Fernandez’s run to the round of 16 in Wuhan suggests that her season is far from over despite losing four matches in a row before that. This match could swing either way, but with Tomljanovic having played fewer matches this season, she has the fresher legs for one last tilt.
Prediction: Tomljanovic in 3
Bianca Andreescu vs Mei Yamaguchi
Head-to-head: first meeting
Andreescu is only 9-9 on the season. This is only her 10th tournament of the season. The Canadian’s last match win was at the Olympic Games. She has lost in the first round in each of her last four matches, including a 3-6 0-6 drubbing against Greet Minnen in Osaka. But she’ll have some room for comfort in her Tokyo opener. Andreescu is levels above 25-year-old Mei Yamaguchi, who is making her main draw debut. It would be a seismic shock if the former US Open champion tripped up here.
Prediction: Andreescu in 2
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
