Top seed Elina Svitolina made a winning return to Tour-level tennis at the WTA Rouen to set up an all-Ukrainian showdown against Anhelina Kalinina. That is one of five second-round matches that will be played on Thursday. Who will reach the quarterfinals?
WTA Rouen Day 4 Predictions
Olga Danilovic vs Linda Fruhvirtova
Head-to-head: first meeting
There is a curious tale of familiarity in the careers of Danilovic and Fruhvirtova. Both players won their maiden WTA titles as teenagers and broke into the Top 100 at different times. However, they struggled to live off those milestones with immediate confidence dips. Danilovic is building her career brick by brick and has only recently shown some promise of getting her mojo back. After a couple of years in the wilderness, largely because of injuries, Fruhvirtova is also steering her career on track. Right now, Danilovic’s floor and ceiling are just a little bit higher than Fruhvirtova’s, and on this surface, the Serbian has loads of talent to secure a comfortable win.
Prediction: Danilovic in 2
Varvara Gracheva vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Head-to-head: Bouzas Maneiro 1-0 Gracheva
Gracheva was a semifinalist on her debut appearance in Rouen three years ago. She lost in the second round when she competed here last season, but still managed to win 15 of 24 matches on clay. That was a respectable return. The Frenchwoman started her week with a polished straight-sets win over Sonay Kartal. Bouzas Maneiro, for her part, is coming off a three-set win over Maria Sakkari. It is her second win against the Greek No. 1. Bouzas Maneiro is a grinder and won’t go away with ease, but I’ll take the more aggressive player in this matchup to excel, and that is Gracheva.
Prediction: Gracheva in 3
Moyuka Uchijima vs Lois Boisson
Head-to-head: first meeting
Uchijima broke into the Top 100 during the clay swing last season. She won three ITF titles and qualified for the French Open main draw for the first time. The Japanese player doesn’t need to drop to the lower tiers this time, thanks to a Top 60 ranking. Although the rankings are a mismatch, this feels too close to call. Boisson enjoys home and clay comfort, and might upset a fatigued Uchijima, who arrived in Rouen after a long trip from Tokyo, where she helped Japan qualify for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Prediction: Boisson in 3
Linda Noskova vs Suzan Lamens
Head-to-head: first meeting
Noskova was on the brink of defeat against Bernarda Pera, who served for the match in the second set but failed to cross the finish line. To her credit for pulling off the rescue act, Noskova will attempt to reach her third quarterfinal of the season. And it would be a welcome consolation just a week after Czechia missed out on qualifying for the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Lamens, for her part, handed Bianca Andreescu a reality check in the Canadian’s first match of the season. The Dutchwoman earned her second win over a former Grand Slam champion. A close contest is in the offing. Lamens has the potential to spring an upset here, but Noskova’s composure might just help her eke out another three-set win.
Prediction: Noskova in 3
Elina Svitolina vs Anhelina Kalinina
Head-to-head: Svitolina 3-0 Kalinina
Svitolina eased past Jil Teichmann 6-4 6-2. It’s her eighth win in the last 10 matches. She has lost just once this season against a player outside the Top 20. Kalinina picked up her first win since February, dropping just four games in a straight-sets rout against Nao Hibino. Recent history doesn’t favor Kalinina, who lost to her compatriot in two matches last season. And with Svitolina kicking off the tournament this week, playing at an exceptional level, the head-to-head is bound to remain lopsided.
Prediction: Svitolina in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
