The WTA Tour returns to Europe on the hard courts at the WTA Cluj-Napoca Open. There is an exciting first day of action scheduled, with six matches to be played. As always, we here at LWOT are predicting every on day one in Cluj-Napoca including Ekaterina Makarova vs Kateryna Baindl. But who will reach the second round?
WTA Cluj-Napoca Day 1 Predictions
Jodie Burrage vs Ankita Raina
Head-to-head: Burrage 1-0 Raina
It has been a great season overall for Jodie Burrage. She came back from a long injury in style during the grass court season and reached a maiden WTA final at her home tournament in Nottingham. The Briton’s form has dipped since Wimbledon though, aside from a first-round win at the US Open.
Nonetheless, expect Burrage’s powerful hitting from the baseline to have too much for Ankita Raina. The Indian is only barely inside the top 200 currently. She’s enjoyed some fleeting success on the ITF Circuit in 2023 but this is a much bigger challenge. Burrage has also dealt adequately with players ranked below her in 2023, with nearly all the 24-year-0ld’s losses this season coming against higher-ranked players.
Prediction: Burrage in 2
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Patricia Maria Tig vs Martha Matoula
Head-to-head: first meeting
Home favourite Patricia Maria Tig’s fortunes have been mixed since returning to the WTA Tour in 2023 after a year and a half of inactivity. She has been mostly short of victories but did get a morale boosting first round victory at the US Open. The 29-year-old desperately needs more to improve her lowly current ranking of world #481.
However, this is a great opportunity to do that. Martha Matoula won a very tight final match in qualifying to reach this stage but is ranked #324 herself. This could be a scrap between two players badly wanting a rare WTA main draw triumph. Tig’s overall game is better than her Greek’s opponent if it can be found regularly enough. She may just manage it in front of a supportive home crowd.
Prediction: Tig in 3
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Rebeka Masarova vs Noma Akugue Noha
Head-to-head: first meeting
Rebeka Masarova’s results have been mixed throughout the season since starting with a run to her first WTA final in January. The Spaniard exited in the first-round in her last two tournaments but showed her ability previously by knocking out Maria Sakkari at the US Open. 19-year-old Noma Akugue Noha burst onto the scene with a stunning run to the final at her home tournament in Hamburg in July. She then followed that with a quarterfinal appearance in Warsaw.
However, the German has struggled ever since. The momentum from a few months ago has long passed. It feels like the young player’s season could just peter out and that a break is needed. Hence, it is difficult to see Makarova suffering a shock loss here. The fourth seed will have to be far below her best to suffer that fate.
Prediction: Masarova in 2
Main photo credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
