The Austrian crowds will probably be happy for the indoor seating for this late season tournament. Many top players have ventured into central Europe this week to try and win a WTA title. Who will get a step closer after today’s matches? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
WTA Linz Day 2 Predictions
Alison van Uytvanck vs Sinja Kraus
Head-to-head: First meeting
The young Austrian has a wild card to her home tournament. She recently played in Austria, in Vienna, and reached the final of an ITF tournament there so she could cause the experienced Belgian some problems. However, van Uytvanck is playing well herself being a recent WTA title winner, and she is the strong favorite to progress here. I always feel that the Belgian is quite a reliable player to beat the players she should and I foresee the same thing happening here.
Prediction: Van Uytvanck in 2
Alize Cornet vs Julia Grabher
Head-to-head: First meeting
Grabher is the other Austrian wild card in the draw and it’ll be the seventh occasion she has played here. The problem is that she has won only one set in the previous six attempts. Whilst Cornet hasn’t had the best season she has reached the semifinals in Tenerife recently and experienced the excitement of the Billie Jean King Cup for France last week. I think she will take some confidence from her performances there and extend Grabher’s poor run at her home tournament
Prediction: Cornet in 2
Anhelina Kalinina vs Martina Trevisan
Head-to-head: Kalinina 1-0 Trevisan
Everything in the form book points towards the Ukrainian in this match. Kalinina has the better record over the season at WTA level, won their previous match together last week, is on a five match winning streak as a result of winning a high level ITF tournament indoors and she is the higher ranked player. The only doubt is that the match last week was actually very close. It was decided in two tiebreaks, but this means that Kalinina now has the mental edge that she won the biggest points when it mattered. I give her the edge again here.
Prediction: Kalinina in 2
Lesia Tsurenko vs Ekaterina Alexandrova
Head-to-head: Tsurenko 2-0 Alexandrova
The only aspect of this match-up that is giving me doubt about predicting an Alexandrova win is the head-to-head record. Both matches are relatively recent, but I do think that the Russian has taken a step up since the pair met last. Realistically, the Russian should be looking at this tournament as a big chance to add to her WTA title won in Shenzhen last year. I think Alexandrova will win this match by dominating her own service games.
Prediction: Alexandrova in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
