The WTA Rome tournament moves into the second round on Thursday. The first round whittled down the field from 96 to 64. Now we begin to see the seeded players take the court after getting a first-round bye. When this situation exists, the main question facing tennis bettors is whether the first-round winners will benefit from rhythm and momentum, or if the players getting byes will benefit from added rest and recovery. First-round players got to play on the Rome courts, feeling the conditions, while players with byes might be a little tentative. Will those small advantages outweigh the fact that seeded players are higher ranked? It’s going to be a fascinating second round in Rome. LWOS has our best bets for three matches. Post your best bets and thoughts in the comments.
WTA Rome
Ostapenko – Anisimova: Time 9:00 EST
H2H: 1-1
Most of the time, a match involving Jelena Ostapenko depends on how she plays. When Ostapenko is on, she’s hard to beat. When she’s bad, she’s easy to beat. She actually beats herself, and the opponent doesn’t even have to do much. This match, however, is different from the norm. Ostapenko might be good or bad, but Amanda Anisimova – who has not played since Miami – is coming back from a wrist injury. Which way should you bet on this one?
Best Bet to Make
Of all the injuries in tennis, wrist injuries are especially concerning. It’s not that back injuries or shoulder injuries aren’t important and can’t have a big effect on how players play. Obviously, any major body part is a concern. However, the wrist is probably number one as a source of worry for tennis players. Carlos Alcaraz will be out for a long time (months, not weeks) with a wrist injury. He knows he has to be cautious. Some great careers were stopped short by wrist injuries. If you were to bet on this match, the natural inclination is to distrust Anisimova until you can clearly see that her wrist is fundamentally healed and will not cause her problems. Until then, Ostapenko should be the pick.
That being said, betting on Ostapenko winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Ostapenko winning @2.13 @Pinnacle
Sierra – Kalinina: Time 10:15 EST
H2H: 0-0
Solana Sierra and Anhelina Kalinina both have reason to feel confident about this match. Sierra made a strong run to the Round of 16 in Madrid, a real breakthrough in her 2026 tennis season. Kalinina advanced through the Rome qualifying rounds with two wins and has already notched 26 wins on clay in 2026. She loves playing on this surface and is therefore the betting favorite according to the markets.
Best Bet to Make
This is not an easy match to call, given that both players have good results to point to. When you come across a match like this, you should ask yourself if the match is likely to be very close. Logic would tell you it will be. Kalinina to win won’t give you a huge price. Kalinina to win in straight sets will give you a very big return, but Sierra’s Round of 16 result in Madrid suggests that this match is more likely to go three sets than be decided in only two. What you could do is have the Kalinina moneyline folded into a parlay with other matches on the card, but if you’re betting only on a set spread, take Sierra.
That being said, betting on Sierra +1.5 sets is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Sierra +1.5 sets @1.75 @10Bet
Bouzkova – Townsend: Time 11:45 EST
H2H: 2-1
Marie Bouzkova has played only one match since April 11, and she lost. It was in Madrid, and Bouzkova fell to Anhelina Kalinina. Taylor Townsend comes into this match having won two Rome qualifying matches plus a first-round match against Nuria Brancaccio. Bouzkova is ranked No. 26, Townsend No. 96, but the circumstances surrounding each player suggest this match is closer than the WTA rankings might indicate.
Best Bet to Make
Marie Bouzkova just hasn’t put a lot of focus on her clay season. From what we can gather, her lack of matches is not due to injury. Unless there is a hidden injury we don’t know about, the assumption is that Bouzkova just isn’t making clay season a real priority. Townsend has momentum and rhythm with three match wins this week in Rome, so even though Bouzkova has the much higher ranking and is the clear-cut market favorite, Townsend moneyline looks very attractive here.
That being said, betting on Townsend winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Townsend winning @2.10 @Bet365
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
