The WTA Hobart International event continues on day three after an entertaining start to the tournament in Tasmania. A number of star names have already fallen by the wayside; will day three bring more upsets? As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Anhelina Kalinina vs Tatjana Maria, but who will advance?
WTA Hobart Day 3 Predictions
Bernarda Pera vs Laura Siegemund
Head-to-head: Pera 1-1 Siegemund
Bernarda Pera’s adaptability saw her home in the first round against her compatriot Madison Brengle. The American may have had little time to set up her shots on a hard-court but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. Only the biggest ball-strikers in the game can destabilize Pera in this sort of mood. Laura Siegemund doesn’t quite fit that profile unfortunately. Her form doesn’t help either as she won her first match in her last seven attempts against Tereza Martincova in the previous round (though she’s only played top 50 players in that time). Pera shouldn’t be too troubled in this one.
Prediction: Pera in 2
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Sofia Kenin vs Maryna Zanevska
Head-to-head: first meeting
This could be the most interesting match of the day. Both players have the potential to play great front-foot tennis–it’s just difficult to call what level they’ll both bring on the day. Looking at their first-round matches, it’s probably slight advantage Zanevska. Kenin may have dispatched Zhu Lin but the American was allowed to play on her own terms. On other hand, Zanevska took her match against Elise Mertens by the scruff of the neck putting on a stellar performance to break serve five times in 10 attempts. Zanevska also easily won two qualifying matches whilst history would suggest backing Kenin in consecutive matches is a risky game. It seems safer to back Zanevska.
Prediction: Zanevska in 2
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Nuria Parrizas Diaz vs Yulia Putintseva
Head-to-head: Parrizas Diaz 1-0 Putintseva
The last time Nuria Parrizas Dias and Yulia Putintseva played was at last year’s Billie Jean King Cup. Parrizas Diaz clinched it in a third-set tiebreak–can she repeat her heroics here? Well the courts at the BJK Cup were incredibly slow. Though this technically suits both player’s games, the advantage was technically on Parrizas Diaz’s side as this levelled the two player’s abilities somewhat.
Putintseva, however, is better at adapting her game to faster conditions than Parrizas Diaz. The Kazakh showed she can revel in these conditions saving all eight break points she faced against Claire Liu in the first round. Where things were even in Glasgow, don’t expect the same rally dynamics to play out in Hobart.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
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Marie Bouzkova vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: Bouzkova 2-1 Blinkova
This is one of those rare match-ups on a fast-court where consistency is likely to temper firepower. Why? Marie Bouzkova is one of the best in the business when it comes to playing the percentages. Her list of wins over the last few months is very impressive whilst her last loss to a player ranked outside the top 50 came in April last year–she’s since beaten 21 players ranked outside the top 50.
Last year’s final in Prague against Anastasia Potapova comes to mind from last year. Potapova hit over 30 unforced errors whilst Bouzkova hit zero winners–the final score was 6-0 6-3. Whilst the score is unlikely to be so lopsided in this case, Anna Blinkova is also unlikely to be able to sustain a level that can overcome the court-craft of Bouzkova for two entire sets.
Prediction: Bouzkova in 2
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