The WTA Rouen tournament is the smaller WTA tournament this week. The main event is in Stuttgart, where there are more points and larger payouts. It’s an event where struggling or lower-ranked players try to build form and win against second-rate competition, with Madrid’s two-week tournament not too far away. Let’s look at some first-round matches on Tuesday as WTA Rouen gets underway.
WTA Rouen
McNally–Volynets: Time 13:00
H2H: 4-0
Caty McNally and Katie Volynets will meet for a fifth time. The two players are both inside the top 100, outside the top 70, so the gap between the two in the rankings is not vast. McNally owns a 4-0 head-to-head record. That said, the most recent meeting between the two players came in 2023, so it might not be worth assigning too much meaning there. The books have Volynets as the favorite. That’s largely because she has won a few matches on clay in recent weeks in Charleston and the Linz qualifying rounds. Once again, assign your own worth to that.
Best Bet to Make
Yes, McNally is better on hard courts. Even though Volynets might be the better player on clay, the reality of a 4-0 head-to-head is more than just one match or one weird day. You can get McNally for a much better price. Why not go with it and force Volynets to prove she can finally beat her opponent for the first time in five tries? Who knows? Maybe Danhausen cursed Volynets on clay.
That being said, McNally winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: McNally to win @2.18 @unibet
Cocciaretto–Charaeva: Time 15:00
H2H: 1-0
Elisabetta Cocciaretto faces Alina Charaeva for the first time in a long time. Cocciaretto has been a good player in recent years, working her way into the top 50 and showing she can play well against top opponents. She beat Coco Gauff earlier this year in one tournament and took Gauff to a third set in Miami before falling just short. Charaeva is ranked outside the top 120, roughly 90 places below her Italian opponent. Their one head-to-head meeting occurred seven years ago, in 2019, which seems unimportant except for the fact that Cocciaretto is unlikely to be surprised by what she sees from Charaeva.
Best Bet to Make
Cocciaretto should be able to win this match the easy way. No drama, no extended battle, no third set. Is the return amazing for a straight-set Cocciaretto win? No, but it’s tolerable, and if you see a very likely win for an okay price, that’s perfectly fine. There’s not a lot of mystery as to how you should vote here.
That being said, Cocciaretto winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Cocciaretto winning 2:0 @1.72 @1xbet
Kostyuk–Parry: Time 13:00
H2H: 3-0
Marta Kostyuk faces Diane Parry for the fourth time in her career. Kostyuk is 3-0 against Parry. She is also ranked roughly 70 spots higher than Parry. Kostyuk is a top-30 WTA player while Parry is at No. 100. Kostyuk is the No. 1 seed at this Rouen tournament, so there is certainly an expectation that she will win a few matches and at least get to the weekend with a chance to make a run at the title in France.
Best Bet to Make
The betting strategy here is a game spread, since betting on Kostyuk to win the match in straight sets doesn’t really return anything of note. Kostyuk is an overwhelming match favorite, so you have to find value on a spread. It’s rarely comfortable taking an especially huge spread, but something manageable with a better price is worth going for. Kostyuk has a decent chance of winning 6-3, 6-3 or 6-2, 6-4.
That being said, Kostyuk winning big (-5.5) is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Kostyuk -5.5 games @2.00 @10bet
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
