The first WTA 250 tournament of the 2025 season will start on Monday in Auckland, New Zealand. The ASB Classic has had big names as winners in the past but without the defending champion, Coco Gauff, the field is wide open. As always, we here at LWOT will offer our predictions for every match on the slate for Day 1–including Sloane Stephens vs Ann Li. But who will advance?
WTA Auckland Day 1 Predictions
Bernarda Pera vs Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Bernarda Pera ended her 2024 season strongly, making back-to-back quarterfinals in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Pera will look to play that level of tennis more often this season and get back inside the top 50. Pera will look to get her first win at this event and she has a good first-round match against Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, who is inexperienced at this level. The 19-year-old did brilliantly in the qualifying matches but Pera’s experience should help her win.
Prediction: Pera in 3
Julia Grabher vs Leyre Romero Gormaz
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Julia Grabher played very little tennis in 2024, which dropped her ranking to below 1000 at a point. She has worked her way up in the last month or so and will look to start the new season with a win. Leyre Romero Gormaz will play her first main draw match at the tour level, thanks to two solid wins in the qualifiers. This can go either way but I am giving the edge to Grabher.
Prediction: Grabher in 3
Jule Niemeier vs Nao Hibino
Head-to-Head: Niemeier 1-0 Hibino
In 2022, Jule Niemeier showed a lot of promise, but she hasn’t even come close to matching those levels, much less improving. However, she is still young and has the potential and a powerful game to get better. This is her first time playing in the main draw of the ASB Classic. Nao Hibino has played at this event many times but only once did she win a match. Hibino had two brilliant performances in the qualifiers which should give her confidence heading into this match. Both the players are not at their best so this is a tough one to call. I will just back Hibino as she has played two matches already,
Prediction: Hibino in 3
Naomi Osaka vs Lina Glushko
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Naomi Osaka’s comeback might not have gone exactly as planned but this season will tell a lot about her future in tennis. Starting strong and getting wins under her belt would be the first goal. Osaka played once at this event in 2017, reaching the quarterfinals and she shouldn’t have any problems beating Lina Glushko, who has played the majority of her tennis at the ITF level.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
