Day three at WTA Rome presents an intriguing slate of second-round action in Rome. With several of the draw’s more compelling players stepping onto the Foro Italico clay, there’s plenty to dig into. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule including Mirra Andreeva vs Antonia Ruzic, Aryna Sabalenka vs Barbora Krejcikova and Jasmine Paolini vs Leolia Jeanjean. But who will advance?
WTA Rome Day 3 Predictions
Marie Bouzkova vs Taylor Townsend
Head-to-head: Bouzkova 2-1 Townsend
Marie Bouzkova couldn’t replicate the form that saw her claiming her third career title in Bogota last-time out after falling in the first round in Madrid but there are no doubts she is carrying real clay-court momentum into this part of the season. Over the last 52 weeks, her clay record stands at 13-5 — a figure that underlines how much the surface suits her game.
Taylor Townsend, by contrast, secured her first win on the surface in the first round after battling through qualifying and while her hard-court form has been strong in 2026, the red dirt is a different proposition. Townsend’s powerful serve-and-forehand combination, so effective on hard courts, loses some of its sting on a slower surface that invites longer exchanges. Bouzkova’s ability to redirect pace and construct points from the baseline should give her the edge here.
Prediction: Bouzkova in 3
Cristina Bucsa vs Zheng Qinwen
Head-to-head: first meeting
Zheng Qinwen arrives at WTA Rome with only a 6-4 record in 2026, having spent months on the sidelines rehabbing an elbow injury. Her win over Anna Bondar in the first round was far from convincing — she trailed 0-3 in the third set before reeling off four consecutive games to close it out. But Zheng’s clay credentials at this specific venue are hard to ignore: she has won 10 of her 13 matches in Rome and has reached at least the quarterfinals in three previous visits here.
Bucsa is a capable player but clay has never been the surface that brings out her best tennis, and her 2026 results on the surface have been inconsistent. Zheng may not be at her peak right now, but a former top-five player with an outstanding record at this tournament should have enough to see off a player who hasn’t shown the kind of form required to stop her.
Prediction: Zheng in 2
Panna Udvardy vs Elise Mertens
Head-to-head: Mertens 1-0 Udvardy
This is a genuinely interesting matchup. Panna Udvardy reached the Bogota final this year before falling to Bouzkova, and enters WTA Rome with a 9-7 clay record in 2026 — not bad at all. Udvardy’s best career surface is clay, where she has a 64% win rate, so this is squarely her territory. That said, Mertens is a seasoned operator at this level and has been in decent form during the clay swing, dismantling Alexandra Eala convincingly in Madrid.
Udvardy’s comfort on clay, combined with the momentum of a deep Bogota run, makes her a real threat. But Elise Mertens has the big-match experience and a sharp first serve that makes her dangerous anywhere. The Belgian’s ability to manage pressure situations should see her through in what figures to be a competitive match.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
Coco Gauff vs Tereza Valentova
Head-to-head: Gauff 1-0 Valentova
Coco Gauff comes into this second-round match with plenty of confidence on clay. She reached the final here in Rome last year and knows how to build points, relying on her excellent court coverage and heavy topspin forehand to break opponents down. The surface gives her time to set up rallies, and her experience at this level helps her stay steady even when things get physical. She had a first-round bye, so she will be fresh and ready to impose her game early.
The 19-year-old Czech Tereza Valentova, meanwhile, has shown real promise this clay season. She reached the final in Saint-Malo recently and brings solid baseline consistency along with good athleticism for her age. She can trade groundstrokes and has the fighting spirit to hang in long rallies. This is a big step up in level for her though, especially against someone who has already beaten her comfortably on clay before. Gauff’s superior power, variety, and ability to control the bigger moments on this surface should allow her to dictate play and wear down the younger opponent as the match progresses.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
