The remainder of the WTA first-round action in Adelaide is set to be played out on Day 3, as we continue one of the first tournaments of 2023. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. We have the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article. Who do you think will win?
WTA Adelaide Day 3 Predictions
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-head: Vondrousova 2-1 Alexandrova
Alexandrova enjoyed a very strong season last year. Titles in Den Bosch and Seoul and semifinal runs in Madrid, Charleston and Ostrava resulted in the Russian breaking the Top 20 to finish the season. Vondrousova enters Adelaide with a protected ranking. The Tokyo Olympics Silver Medalist missed more than six months in 2022 but finished the season with an ITF 100 title from Shrewsbury. Their previous matches are all from 2017 or earlier, back when both players were still coming through the ITF circuit. It’s tough to call but I will lean toward Alexandrova here.
Predictions: Alexandrova in 3
Sorana Cirstea vs Viktorija Golubic
Head-to-head: first meeting
After a promising start to 2022 in Australia, Cirstea had a largely mediocre season that followed. The Romanian reached the second week in Melbourne but went on to reach just three more semifinals for the entirety of 2022. Golubic also had a bit of a disappointing season but finished strong, reaching the final of WTA 125 Rouen and defeating Bianca Andreescu and Karolina Muchova in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The 30-year-old already has two wins under her belt this season, taking out Alison Riske-Amritraj and Storm Hunter (neé Sanders) to qualify for the main draw. Golubic’s form and extra matches make her a favorite here.
Predictions: Golubic in 2
Jelena Ostapenko vs Karolina Pliskova
Head-to-head: Pliskova 5-3 Ostapenko
The ninth meeting between these two power hitters kicks off their 2023 season. Ostapenko did not have the best start to last year in Australia but went on to win Dubai and reach finals in Eastbourne and Seoul, returning to the Top 20. Pliskova missed the Australian summer last year altogether as she was still recovering from injury. The Czech’s comeback season did not go her way though. Pliskova did get a couple of runs together, reaching the semifinals in Toronto and quarterfinals of the US Open but largely struggling for wins and dropping out of the Top 30. The two have faced off eight times previously with five of those going to a third set, including a 10-8 deciding set battle at the 2017 Australian Open. The result is entirely dependent on their form on the day but I see Ostapenko as a favorite here.
Predictions: Ostapenko in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
