The Asian swing on the WTA tour continues. The WTA Hong Kong Open has a very strong draw for a WTA 25o event, and the first day is an exciting one. We at LWOT also have a separate article predicting the other matches on day one in Hong Kong- this including Mirra Andreeva vs Dayana Yastremska. Who will advance?
WTA Hong Kong Day 1 Predictions
Martina Trevisan vs Cristina Bucsa
Head-to-head: Trevisan 2-0 Bucsa
Martina Trevisan lost quite tamely in the first round in Beijing. This may have been a slight hangover from her quarterfinal loss in Guadalajara, where she squandered four match points. Cristina Bucsa, meanwhile, is having a career-best season. The Spaniard’s win/loss record in 2023 is very similar to Trevisan’s, despite the Italian’s higher ranking. However, Trevisan is still the favourite to win here. She has won her previous two meetings with Bucsa, and has a playing style that can disrupt the 25-year-old. This is a good opportunity for the two-time WTA quarterfinalist to get back on track.
Prediction: Trevisan in 2
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Varvara Gracheva vs Kamila Rakhimova
Head-to-head: Gracheva 1-0 Rakhimova
Varvara Gracheva got her first win in nearly two months at the Beijing Open, before falling to Iga Swiatek. However, the Frenchwoman still looks far below the high level she reached earlier in the season. Kamila Rakhimova is a hard player to predict. The 22-year-old’s tennis can fluctuate wildly in the space of one match. In many ways this match is on Rakhimova’s racket. Gracheva may have taken some confidence from getting that elusive win, however. If she can be somewhat consistent, that might be enough if Rakhimova does not find her range at the WTA Hong Kong Open.
Prediction: Gracheva in 3
Wang Xiyu vs Katerina Siniakova
Head-to-head: Siniakova 1-0 Wang
Wang Xiyu won her home tournament in Guangzhou a few weeks ago with a stunning run to the title. Her tennis throughout that week was stunning, but her level has dropped since. Katerina Siniakova has largely struggled this season on the singles court, with the notable exception of lifting the title on the grass courts at the Bad Homburg Open. The Czech is a difficult opponent at her best, but Wang has the edge here. A drop in form after her title win was understandable. Mentally she may have now recovered, and be ready to show the tennis that has seen her have a career-best season at the WTA Hong Kong Open.
Prediction: Wang in 2
Main photo credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
