Day 1 of the Paris Olympics tennis tournament is Saturday, and it kicks off the men’s and women’s singles and doubles events. In addition to our regular predictions of all singles matches, as a special treat for you us at LastWordOnTennis will be sharing predictions for the Olympics doubles matches. One of the questions on Day 1 will be if Angelique Kerber can advance in either singles or doubles, or will Saturday be the final day of her career. Will she advance? Predicting Saturday’s matches are Jordan Reynolds, Jim Smith, and Yesh Ginsburg. We also have predictions for the rest of the Day 1 matches in a separate article–featuring Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula vs Daria Saville and Ellen Perez, as Gauff begins her quest for three medals in Paris. Who do you think will move on? (Note that in Olympic doubles, a third set is a match tiebreak–first team to ten points wins.)
As a special for the Olympics, we will also be predicting all of the day’s other matches, both singles and doubles. We will link to our other Olympic predictions at the bottom of the article. Enjoy!
Paris Olympics Day 1 Women’s Doubles Predictions
Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini (Italy) vs Lulu Sun and Erin Routliffe (New Zealand)
Jordan:
Sun’s strong serve and willingness to come forward to the net seen at Wimbledon shows her potential in doubles. She is partnered with the current world No. 1 in women’s doubles Routliffe. However, it is still tough to pick against the Italians. They have much more experience together as a pair and they also reached the final of the women’s doubles at the French Open a matter of weeks ago.
Prediction: Errani and Paolini in 2
Jim:
It has been quite the summer for Lulu Sun, who recently enjoyed a memorable run at Wimbledon–reaching the quarterfinals at the All-England Club. Sun has not been the only in-form Kiwi on the WTA Tour either–Erin Routliffe ascended to the top of the WTA rankings for the first time earlier this month after reaching the final. But the New Zealand duo are coming up against Roland Garros singles’ finalists past and present in Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. The former also happens to have won the doubles title.
Prediction: Errani and Paolini in 2
Yesh:
Sun is coming off a magical run at Wimbledon, and her reward is to compete alongside the newly-minted World #1 in doubles. That might even be enough to get past the Italians, though Jasmine Paolini is playing the most inspired tennis of anyone in the world.
Prediction: Errani and Paolini in 3
Gabriela Dabrowski and Leylah Fernandez (Canada) vs Clara Burel and Varvara Gracheva (France)
Jordan:
I expect the Canadian pair to progress comfortably against Burel and Gracheva. Dabrowski is the No. 3 ranked women’s doubles player, while Fernandez progressed to the final last year at the French Open. By contrast, the Frenchwomen do not possess track records that come close to their opponents.
Prediction: Dabrowski and Fernandez in 2
Jim:
Clara Burel/Varvara Gracheva vs Leylah Fernandez/Gabriela Dabrowski
With the banking of the French crowd, it is hard to see Clara Burel and Varvara Gracheva losing this match. Their affinity for the French clay should also prove a useful asset.
Prediction: Burel and Gracheva in 3
Yesh:
This is a rough draw for the Frenchwomen, as Dabrowski is one of the best doubles players in the world. And she gets a partner who can play with pace and is solid at net, too.
Prediction: Dabrowski and Fernandez in 2
Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) vs Hao-Ching Chan and Latisha Chan (Chinese Taipei)
Jordan:
Siniakova and Krejcikova are resuming their legendary partnership to try and win a second Gold Medal as a team. They have been handed a very tough start. The Chan sisters have played in many tournaments together and enjoyed much doubles success with other partners. Yet, I still trust Siniakova and Krejcikova to find their feet together quickly. They also played together in Prague to warmup for the Olympics.
Prediction: Krejcikova and Siniakova in 2
Jim:
Chan Hao-Ching and Latisha Chan have both demonstrated that they are excellent doubles players. Both are, after all, Grand Slam champions in the format. But their powers are also on the wane, whereas the Czech’s are ascendant. They have won the French Open together twice and it would be no great surprise to see them claim Olympic Gold.
Prediction: Krejcikova and Siniakova in 2
Yesh:
This is a rough draw for the Taiwanese pair. Solid doubles specialists, they could have made a bit of a run with the right opponents. But the Czech pair are likely to medal, possibly even taking Gold. They won’t lose their opener.
Prediction: Krejcikova and Siniakova in 2
Angelique Kerber and Laura Siegemund (Germany) vs Katie Boulter and Heather Watson (Great Britain)
Jordan:
Boulter and Watson have their work cut out here. Siegemund is an excellent doubles player and Kerber’s game also adjusts well to doubles. Expect the Germans to prevail and extend Kerber’s career by a match, regardless of what happens in her singles match against Naomi Osaka.
Prediction: Kerber and Seigemund in 2
Jim:
This should be a competitive encounter. But it will be also played on slow clay. Indeed, the conditions will likely mirror those we saw earlier during the French Open after a summer veiled in cloud. That will almost certainly play into the German’s hand, with Laura Siegemund very much at her best on the terre battue.
Prediction: Kerber and Seigemund in 3
Yesh:
Given the state of Kerber’s game, I might take the Brits on grass or hard courts. Neither loves clay, though, so Kerber will extend her doubles career at least one more round.
Prediction: Kerber and Seigemund in 2
Other Olympic Predictions:
Men’s Singles Featuring Novak Djokovic vs Matthew Ebden
Men’s Singles Featuring Carlos Alcaraz vs Hedy Habib
Men’s Singles Featuring Daniil Medvedev vs Rinky Hijikata
Men’s Singles Featuring Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Zizou Bergs
Women’s Singles Featuring Bianca Andreescu vs Clara Tauson
Women’s Singles Featuring Iga Swiatek vs Irina-Camelia Begu
Women’s Singles Featuring Karolina Muchova vs Leylah Fernandez
Women’s Singles Featuring Danielle Collins vs Laura Siegemund
Women’s Singles Featuring Including Naomi Osaka vs Angelique Kerber
Men’s Doubles Featuring Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz vs Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni
Men’s Doubles Featuring Luciano Darderi and Lorenzo Musetti vs Nicolas Jarry and Alejandro Tabilo
Main Photo Credit: Taya Gray-Desert Sun/USAToday Sports
