Day 4 of the WTA Italian Open continues with second-round action. This article highlights four of the 16 matches scheduled at WTA Rome. Former champion Elena Rybakina will play here for the first time since winning the title in 2023. Will the favourites prevail, or can the underdogs pull off an upset?
WTA Rome Day 4 Predictions
Leylah Fernandez vs Antonia Ruzic
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Antoniz Ruzic saved two match points in the third set against Tyra Caterina Grant to win her first tour-level match on clay. Ruzic trailed for most of the third set but kept fighting and got rewarded with the win. The Croatian has been improving steadily, and it shouldn’t be long before she makes her top 100 debut. However, I can’t see her progressing any further in this tournament. Leylah Fernandez is going through a rough patch, but I expect her to win this match.
Prediction: Fernandez in 2
Daria Kasatkina vs Marta Kostyuk
Head-to-Head: Kasatkina 4-2 Kostyuk
This has the potential to be one of the best matches of the second round. Daria Kasatkina’s clay season hasn’t gone as planned, as she faced two inspired opponents in the last two tournaments. She will face another player who has found her form and is demolishing opponents. Marta Kostyuk lost just one game in the first round and is playing her best tennis of the season. The head-to-head between these two is super interesting, as Kostyuk won the initial two matches but has lost four in a row since then. There will be a lot of long rallies, and the match might come down to the wire, but Kostyuk’s current form should help her prevail.
Prediction: Kostyuk in 3
Amanda Anisimova vs Veronika Kudermetova
Head-to-Head: Anisimova 1-2 Kudermetova
Amanda Anisimova suffered a tough first-round loss in Madrid, but she has been playing well recently and will be a contender this week. Anisimova’s best performance in Rome was in 2022, when she reached the quarterfinals. Veronika Kudermetova was far from convincing in her first-round match against Lucrezia Stefanini. She will need to play at a much higher level to avenge her recent loss against Anisimova in Charleston. Kudermetova is a former semifinalist, but can her defense withstand the American’s powerful ground strokes? It has in the past, but the current form suggests it would be a tough ask.
Prediction: Anisimova in 3
Elena Rybakina vs Eva Lys
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Elena Rybakina missed last year’s edition of the Italian Open due to illness, meaning she will play her first match since winning the title in 2023. Rybakina has had a lot going on this season, which has reflected in her results. She is yet to make a final in 2024, which is below par for her high standards. Eva Lys played the match of her life in the first round against Moyuka Uchijima, playing with great depth and hitting winners everywhere. Rybakina would be a completely different challenge for the German, but she has nothing to lose in this match, making her dangerous. Rybakina will have to be careful to avoid the upset.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
