Day three of the WTA Phillip Island Trophy on Monday presents several intriguing matchups on the other side of the Australian Open as quarterfinals begin. The tournament is also hosted in Melbourne where hard court players will look to build on early losses at the Australian Open. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate in Melbourne, including Petra Martic vs Kimberly Birrell. But who will advance?
WTA Phillip Island Trophy Day Three Predictions
Rebecca Peterson vs Olivia Gadecki
Head-to-head: first meeting
After not qualifying for the Australian Open, Australian teenager Olivia Gadecki pulled off the upset of the year here last round over reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Rebecca Peterson had a tough loss in the first round at the Australian Open, but looked strong in her first two matches here. Gadecki will continue to play free-swinging tennis with nothing to lose, making her dangerous to anyone. Peterson has spent most of her career as a consistent mid top-100 player which should stand her in good stead here. It is always tough following up a big win, especially in Gadecki’s case where it is the first of her career.
Prediction: Peterson in 3
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Danielle Collins vs Misaki Doi
Head-to-head: First meeting
Danielle Collins, an Australian Open semifinalist in 2019, began the year strong with a quarterfinal appearance at the warm-up tournament. She had a tough draw at this year’s Australian Open but responded well with her round one win here. Misaki Doi made a poor start to 2021 with consecutive straight-set losses but upset Caroline Garcia in the first round. Collins is a strong player who is a dark-horse candidate to win this week, and Doi will simply not have enough answers to handle her game.
Prediction: Collins in 2
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Wang Qiang vs Irina-Camelia Begu
Head-to-head: Wang 1-0 Begu
Wang Qiang is the fifth seed here, but is one of the beneficiaries of the frozen rankings, coming into the week with a six match losing streak before her first round win. Irina-Camelia Begu is a veteran player who started the year strong with five wins on the season including this week. Their lone match was an easy win for Wang at the 2018 US Open, but form will come into play more than the prior matchup. Begu has played some impressive tennis to start the year and after the quarantines the players in form tend to have the advantage. Wang on the other hand has not quite found her game and Begu will have enough to win.
Prediction: Begu in 3
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Bianca Andreescu vs Zarina Diyas
Head-to-head: first meeting
After her breakout season in 2019, Bianca Andreescu did not play a match in 2020 making her a big question mark coming into this year. She lost a tough second-round matchup at the Australian Open to Hsieh Su-wei but came back with a narrow three-set win over Madison Brengle in the first round here.
Zarina Diyas is a talented player who seems to have finally broken out of her late-2020 slump with four wins already in 2021. While consistent, she has struggled in here career against elite competition. Andreescu does not seem quite up to here 2019 form and will have trouble blowing Diyas away, but her game is enough to top Diyas on the hard courts in Melbourne.
Prediction: Andreescu in 3
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