With 16 first-round matches on the slate on day one at the Australian Open, there should be plenty of storylines and intrigue in Melbourne. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino, Barbora Krejcikova vs Mai Hontama and Aryna Sabalenka vs Ella Seidel. But who will advance?
Australian Open Day 1 Predictions
Magda Linette vs Caroline Wozniacki
Yesh: Caroline Wozniacki got a tough round draw here, but she looked in good form to start the year. Magda Linette is a bad matchup for her, which means we should get a great match here.
Prediction: Wozniacki in 3
Jordan: Wozniacki played a pretty good match against Elina Svitolina in Auckland in her first match since the US Open, despite losing in straight sets. Linette had a surprise and career best run to the semifinal in Melbourne last year.
Replicating that seems unlikely, but I am still backing the Pole to edge this. The former champion at the Australian Open Wozniacki will have great crowd support, but coming back against such a solid competitor, who did so well last year at the tournament could be tough.
Prediction: Linette in 3
Damian: Wozniacki has shown in the past that she doesn’t really need to be in amazing match rhythm to pull off a few big wins in a row. Linette is defending her Australian Open semifinal, which was a run mostly based on playing against powerful flat-hitters and redirecting their power shots up-the-line. This is a very different matchup and ultimately probably one where she’ll struggle a lot more with much less pace to work with coming from the opponent.
Prediction: Wozniacki in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Leylah Fernandez vs Sara Bejlek
Yesh: Leylah Fernandez isn’t quite at her summer 2021 form anymore (she’s never been there since), but the potential is always there. She could break out and beat anyone at any time.
Prediction: Fernandez in 2
Jordan: Bejlek is one of many exacting teenagers who came through the Australian Ooen qualifying. This is her fourth Grand Slam main draw appearance, and she is looking for a first win. It is unlikely to come against Fernandez. The Canadian ended last season really strongly, playing a more aggressive style of tennis. Some of that form should be enough to get a victory here.
Prediction: Fernandez in 2
Damian: Fernandez has been on top of her game the last few months and might be eyeing a deep run at a Slam again. Bejlek is a talented 17-year-old, but for now her game just doesn’t really have the weaponry to trouble the former US Open runner-up. Should be an easy enough victory for the Canadian.
Prediction: Fernandez in 2
Wang Xinyu vs Diane Parry
Yesh: Diane Parry is in solid form and is a consistent player. But Wang Xinyu is ultimately a better player.
Prediction: Wang in 2
Jordan: This is likely to be a fun match between two players who like to play aggressively. Wang is seeded and the higher ranked. The biggest key for the Chinese player will be getting into the Parry backhand as often as possible, which is her weaker wing by far. I think she will do that often enough and impose the rest of her game enough to get a victory.
Prediction: Wang in 2
Damian: Parry played Wang Xiyu in Auckland, now she gets to take on Xinyu Wang and tick off both the commonly-confused Chinese youngsters. The righty Wang has done pretty well in Australia the past couple of years and it seems like the conditions should allow her to pressure Parry and take time away from her pretty effectively.
Prediction: Wang in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Alycia Parks vs Daria Snigur
Yesh: The rise of Alycia Parks is coming. It looked like it might happened last summer, but wasn’t quite there. But she’s going to be elite, and soon.
Prediction: Parks in 2
Jordan: This is just Snigur’s second appearance in a Grand Slam main draw, although she did reach the second round in her one previous appearance at the US Open in 2022. Parks made good progress last year, but she is yet to find much success at Grand Slam level. Her only precious win was at Wimbledon last year. The American’s game is the steadier of the two players. Snigur is not to be ruled out, but Parks is a slight favourite to come through in Melbourne.
Prediction: Parks in 3
Damian: Parks has had such a disappointing run since winning Lyon last year and the last time she was in Melbourne, she made 70 unforced errors in the second qualifying round. This is a decent draw for her though against a player with potential but struggling to find that breakthrough. Let’s say the American can grab a rare win.
Prediction: Parks in 3
Main photo credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
