Six matches are scheduled on Day 3 of the WTA Bad Homburg Open, where third seed Elina Svitolina faces Liudmila Samsonova for the first time. Some first-round matches will be concluded, and the Round of 16 gets underway. Who will advance?
WTA Bad Homburg Day 3 Predictions
Linda Noskova vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Head-to-head: first meeting
It was a chaotic final day in Berlin last Sunday. Heavy rain battered the tournament grounds, but once the match got underway, Linda Noskova completed a perfect week by winning her second WTA title. It’s also her first on grass courts, giving Noskova the belief that she might be a contender at Wimbledon. She has broken into the Top 10 for the first time, and to stay there, she will need a big week in Bad Homburg. The Czech faces a test right out of the gate. Ruse has navigated two tricky qualifying matches to reach the main draw. But this is still a match that Noskova will dictate if she maintains her high baseline.
Prediction: Noskova in 2
Emma Navarro vs Eva Lys
Head-to-head: first meeting
Emma Navarro came so close to winning her second title of the season. However, her week in Nottingham ended with the disappointment of losing in the final to Marie Bouzkova in what is officially the longest WTA match of 2026. The American now has little time to reset. She had a long week in Nottingham (playing a trio of three-setters), and that might have taken a lot out of her. Lys has not done anything extraordinary this season, but her aggressive style is well-suited to punish any dip in intensity by Navarro.
Prediction: Lys in 3
Elina Svitolina vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Svitolina has the second-most WTA match wins in 2026 with 34, but a quarterfinal defeat to Alexandra Eala in Berlin reinforced the point that she has yet to look fully at ease on grass. Samsonova has endured her fair share of disappointments this season. The Russian’s peak has become increasingly sporadic, but when her game clicks, she remains one of the most dangerous players on the surface. With neither player enters the WTA Bad Homburg Open in exceptional form, I think Samsnonva is still best placed to rediscover her best tennis under pressure.
Prediction: Samsonova in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
