A mix of first and second-round matches will be on the menu at the WTA Hamburg European Open on Tuesday. Defending champion Bernarda Pera survived a rollercoaster in her opening match, but faces in-form Kaia Kanepi in her next bout. We also look at the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article. Who do you think will advance?
WTA Hamburg Day 3 Predictions
Martina Trevisan vs Camila Osorio
Head-to-head: Trevisan 1-0 Osorio
Martina Trevisan picked up a calf injury at a critical stage in her season. She lost over 700 points due to her unsuccessful title defense in Rabat and subsequent first-round exit at Roland Garros, where 12 months ago she made the semifinal. But Trevisan has taken those setbacks in her stride and produced a spectacular performance on Sunday thumping world #173 Elvina Kalieva 6-1 6-0. She brought her combination of angles and power back on clay. However, she faces a much sterner test against Camila Osorio. The Colombian is making a leap into the top tier of women’s tennis after a chaotic 2022 season. Recent results and her all-round game give her the edge against the Italian lefty.
Prediction: Osorio in 3
Arantxa Rus vs Maria Timofeeva
Head-to-head: first meeting
Budapest was unforgettable for Maria Timofeeva, who won the tournament on her WTA main draw debut. Still only 19, she is a player dripping with talent. But sometimes it’s always advisable to temper such hype with caution. Arantxa Rus has been in stellar form herself, winning back-to-back titles on clay in the last two weeks. But Rus can attest to the reality of a post-title win hangover which was evident in her three-set loss to Jasmine Paolini in Palermo. Timofeeva could be a victim this week.
Prediction: Rus in 2
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Daria Saville vs Jasmine Paolini
Head-to-head: Saville 1-0 Paolini
It wasn’t to be for Jasmine Paolini in Palermo as she lost at the final hurdle to China’s rising star Qinwen Zheng. Paolini was running out of fumes in the final set of that match after playing a trio of three-setters in her run to the final. Daria Saville only recently made her comeback from injury and she posted two qualifying wins at the weekend. Saville will be playing her first Top 50 opponent on Tuesday in Hamburg. The Australian world #225 owns a victory over Petra Kvitova on the Parisian clay from last year and is invariably a tenacious competitor. Saville could benefit from playing a drained and disheartened Paolini here.
Prediction: Saville in 3
Bernarda Pera vs Kaia Kanepi
Head-to-head: Kanepi 1-0 Pera
A first-round exit in Budapest wasn’t particularly a full-scale crisis for Bernarda Pera who had lost three in a row going into her title defense in Hungary’s capital. But losing to Kaia Kanepi in Hamburg could raise a concern in her camp. Pera is defending 250 points again this week, that’s because she put together a stellar summer 12 months ago. She opened up her campaign with a nervy 6-2 1-6 6-4 win over Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez. Kanepi had no such trouble in dismissing Kaja Juvan 6-1 6-4 to extend her win streak to six matches following her W60 win in Amstelveen. Nonetheless, the American should excel in these conditions as her game transcribes well on clay. Her record against the power hitters isn’t shoddy either, having taken down the likes of Kontaveit and Donna Vekic in her run to the French Open round of 16.
Prediction: Pera in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
