This week’s WTA Dubai Tennis Championships is one of the first tournaments in the transition to the post-Australian Open hard-court swing leading into the Miami Open. Many players are still trying to shake the rust off after the long break in 2020, but in the third month of the year it is a good chance for players to prove themselves for the season ahead.
On a packed day two, there are 17 matches on the slate and, as ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every one, including Garbine Muguruza vs Irina-Camelia Begu, Shelby Rogers vs Kaia Kanepi and Angelique Kerber vs Caroline Garcia. But who will reach the second round?
WTA Dubai Tennis Championships Day Two Predictions
Marketa Vondrousova vs Ana Bogdan
Head-to-head: Bogdan 1-0 Vondrousova
Marketa Vondrousova is one of the brightest young stars on the WTA Tour and is the third youngest player currently ranked inside the top 20. She has been inconsistent over the last couple of years since making her name with a run to the French Open final in 2019, but she has played well so far in 2021, compiling a 6-3 record.
The 28-year-old Ana Bogdan, in contrast, has had a long up-and-down career and had to go through qualifying to reach the main draw, playing well to beat Cagla Buyukakcay and Kamilla Rakhimova. But Vondrousova is a good enough hard-court player that she will be too much for Bogdan to handle. She should win this comfortably.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 2
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Lesia Tsurenko vs Sorana Cirstea
Head-to-head: Cirstea 2-0 Tsurenko
Sorana Cirstea started the year strongly and has already scored wins over Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitova. Lesia Tsurenko is talented and seemed to be on the brink of a breakthrough for a few years, but wasn’t quite able to take the next step and now seems to have lost her way somewhat. She certainly has not been in her best form, but the Ukrainian did breeze through qualifying to make the main draw. Both players will have to rely on powerful winners and limit errors, but expect the in-form Cirstea to play just about well enough to win a close one.
Prediction: Cirstea in 3
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Katarina Zavatska vs Jil Teichmann
Head-to-head: Teichmann 1-0 Zavatska
Jil Teichmann has been playing great tennis of late, going 6-2 in the two follow-up tournaments in Australia after losing her first two matches of the season, both to Cori Gauff. Katarina Zavatska, meanwhile, is a young player who is looking to make some noise on the main tour after playing primarily ITF events. She won both her qualifying matches easily in straight sets and will look to swing freely against the favourite Teichmann. But although the Swiss has not won many big matches, she has been solid at mid-level events against lower-ranked players. Expect her to limit her mistakes and do enough to win the match.
Prediction: Teichmann in 3
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Fiona Ferro vs Elise Mertens
Head-to-head: Ferro 1-1 Mertens
Fiona Ferro is coming off a great run in Lyon last week which saw her reach the semifinals. Elise Mertens, however, will be better rested, with the Belgian set to play her first match since the Australian Open, where she reached the fourth round. Mertens is a talented player whose game can adapt to all surfaces and she has posted an excellent 6-2 record so far this season.
The Belgian also won their only meeting in the last five years 6-2 6-0 in a dominant display at Wimbledon in 2019. Ferro will be hoping to continue her momentum from last week, but fatigue may start to set in, particularly after a long flight, and she has not faced much competition of Mertens’ calibre. In short, Mertens is the better player and should win in straight sets.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
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