It’s time for the second round of the 2024 WTA Korea Open in Seoul with four singles matches scheduled for Wednesday. 2022 champion Ekaterina Alexandrova faces Polina Kudermetova, while Veronika Kudermetova will take the court against No. 2 seed Liudmila Samsonova in two all-Russian clashes. Who do you think will advance to the quarterfinals?
WTA Seoul Day 3 Predictions
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Polina Kudermetova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Polina Kudermetova making the Seoul quarterfinals was a bit of a surprise last year, but now she’s just one win away from repeating that feat despite losing in the final qualifying round. She took her lucky loser opportunity over Priscilla Hon and will now face Ekaterina Alexandrova. While her higher-ranked compatriot can be extremely erratic, she also has the firepower to make this one all about her game. She managed to get out of trouble against Varvara Lepchenko and will likely do the same here if needed.
Prediction: Alexandrova in 2
Diana Shnaider vs Carol Zhao
Head-to-head: First meeting
Diana Shnaider’s breakout campaign has been fantastic to watch with the Russian picking up a WTA Tour title on all three surfaces. She was very good during the North American hard court swing as well and should continue like that heading into Asia. Carol Zhao was pretty lucky with her opening-round draw and handled Dayeon Back in straight sets. Shnaider is at a completely different level and it’s rather tough to see a path to victory for the Canadian.
Prediction: Shnaider in 2
Heather Watson vs Marta Kostyuk
Head-to-head: Kostyuk 1-0
It seems like Heather Watson’s best days in single might be behind her and this year she’s only been producing when going down a level. She has picked up three consecutive straight-set wins in Seoul, but hasn’t faced any top-quality opposition yet. Marta Kostyuk certainly deserves to be called exactly that. The Ukrainian has come a long way since being a teenage prodigy and is now becoming a full-fledged star on the WTA circuit. Watson would have to play her best match in a long while.
Prediction: Kostyuk in 2
Veronika Kudermetova vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: Kudermetova 4-2
This looks like the most evenly-matched affair on the schedule for Wednesday. Veronika Kudermetova is way below 50% wins for the season and hasn’t been doing well, but still managed to take down Liudmila Samsonova when they played in Berlin. The two erratic power-hitters usually end up in a dogfight that can easily swing in the favor of either player. With Samsonova not playing since the US Open, maybe Kudermetova can take advantage of some early rust and post a much-needed win.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 3
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
