An exciting Day 2 at WTA Rome awaits. This will be the last opportunity for most players to build up some confidence before the second Major of the year: Roland Garros. Who will triumph and who will fall? We’re here at LWOT to predict all of the matches. We have four in this article, and the rest in two other articles. In addition to this article, we also predict the rest of the day’s matches in two articles. One features Garbine Muguruza vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and the other features Johanna Konta vs Jelena Ostapenko. Let’s look at the matches.
WTA Rome Day 2 Predictions
Sloane Stephens vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: Stephens leads 4-1
Both players do not like playing on the red dirt. Stephens wanted to get some clay court match play in Rome by entering the qualifying. However, she was knocked out in the second round of qualifying, and is only here in the main draw being a Lucky Loser. It should be a close match because of the surface, but Stephens clearly has a proven game plan to play Keys looking at their head-to-head, so she should edge through.
Prediction: Stephens in 3
Caroline Garcia vs Elisabeta Cocciaretto
Head-to-head: First meeting
This will be a good opportunity for Cocciaretto to play against one of the best players in the world. Will we expect the 20-year-old Italian to cause a major upset here in Rome? Probably not. But she will come out with nothing to lose for, and give Garcia a good match. But expect Garcia to eventually pull through.
Prediction: Garcia in 2
Veronika Kudermetova vs Elise Mertens
Head-to-head: Mertens leads 4-0
Mertens is coming to Rome in decent form on clay. The 25-year-old Belgian reached the final in Istanbul and the quarterfinals in Madrid last week. The pair battled in Istanbul where Mertens came out on top in straight sets. Expect a similar result here in Rome where Mertens should advance to the next round without much trouble.
Prediction: Mertens in 2
Angelique Kerber vs Alize Cornet
Head-to-head: Kerber leads 3-2
This will be a tough match for both players, and both players have beaten each other previously. Whilst clay isn’t any of these players’ best surface, Cornet has come in Rome by qualifying and has already won two matches under her belt here. This could give her some momentum against Kerber who is coming in rather cold. Expect a three-setter, and perhaps Cornet edging through.
Prediction: Cornet in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
