Western & Southern Open round of 32 action will wrap up on Day 3 as nine WTA singles matches are set to take place in Cincinnati. The tours best are at this 1000-level event looking to gain valuable form ahead of the last Slam of the season. Coming off a title in Toronto, 3x-Cincinnati finalist Simona Halep is looking to continue her strong play on the hard courts of North America. World #18 Veronika Kudermetova stands in her way in what sets up to be one of the best matches of the day. We at LWOT have the prediction for that match as well as all other happenings around the grounds of Cincinnati. We split the rest of the day’s matches between three other articles. One features Victoria Azarenka vs Emma Raducanu, the second highlights Elena Rybakina vs Garbine Muguruza, and the third features Iga Swiatek vs Sloane Stephens. But who will win?
WTA Cincinnati Day 3 Prediction
Jelena Ostapenko vs Madison Keys
Head-to-Head: Ostapenko 1-2 Keys
Having won just two of her last six hard court matches, #16 seed Jelena Ostapenko is looking to find some form ahead of the US Open. Her Western & Southern Open campaign started out strong with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia, whose body seemed to give out after a long week in Toronto. Her opponent will be American Madison Keys. Keys won this event in 2019 and is looking to have another long stay in Cincinnati. The 27-year-old won ten straight matches back in January but is just 10-12 since. I see this match going the distance, and slightly favor the American who will have the crowd behind her on home soil.
Prediction: Keys in 3
Marie Bouzkova vs Alison Riske
Head-to-Head: Bouzkova 1-0 Riske-Amritraj
Alison Riske-Amritraj will be up against it on Day 3 when she takes on the very in-form Marie Bouzkova. The 24-year-old Czech has won 10 of 11 hard court matches this summer, including a title in Prague. She is 27-7 on hard courts this season. Riske-Amritraj, who had a solid round one victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo, is just 2-6 in her career in Cincinnati. I do not see her getting another win at this 1000-level event this week.
Prediction: Bouzkova in 2
Veronika Kudermetova vs Simona Halep
Head-to-Head: Kudermetova 0-3 Halep
Veronika Kudermetova, who currently holds a career-high ranking of world #18, will be given all she can handle against world #6 Simona Halep. Halep, who is coming off of a title in Toronto, holds a 39-10 overall record this season having won 23 of 28 hard court matches. She is also 3-0 against Kudermetova, with all three victories coming in straight sets on hard courts. Kudermetova is playing fine tennis, but the Romanian is at a completely different level. The only way I see Halep losing this match is if the eighth match in ten days catches up to her. I, however, do not think that will be a factor in this one.
Prediction: Halep in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
