Mubadala Citi Open WTA singles main draw action is kicking off on Monday with five matches on the schedule. Extremely talented youngsters like Victoria Mboko and Maya Joint will be clashing with more experienced opponents, before Maria Sakkari and Katie Boulter face off in the match of the day not before 6:00 PM. Who do you think will prevail?
WTA Washington Day 1 Predictions
Anastasia Potapova vs Victoria Mboko
Head-to-head: First meeting
Victoria Mboko is facing more difficult opposition now and isn’t winning 22 matches in a row anymore, but the 45-8 win/loss record is still pretty amazing. The 18-year-old is one of the brightest talents in the sport right now and could be especially deadly now that we’re back on her favorite surface. Anastasia Potapova will not be happy to draw her, especially as the Russian was recently injured and missed Wimbledon. Mboko will force her to be really sharp right away.
Prediction: Mboko in 2
Leylah Fernandez vs Maya Joint
Head-to-head: First meeting
Maya Joint has already won two WTA Tour titles this year, picking them up in the weeks right before the previous two Grand Slams. The fatigue then heavily impacted her performance at the said Majors, but maybe soon enough the Australian can become a player of the caliber that will only be focused on the most important events. Nonetheless, her progress this season has been impressive and with Leylah Fernandez in such mediocre form, Joint might be the slight favorite here.
Prediction: Joint in 3
Yulia Starodubtseva vs Magdalena Frech
Head-to-head: Frech 1-0
At just 8-18 for the year, it’s certainly surprising that Magdalena Frech is still in the Top 25, but she’ll simply be defending a lot of points in the next few months. While it’s clearly not the best season of her career, the Pole remains a frustrating opponent with her slice-heavy defensive game. Yulia Starodubtseva didn’t handle it at all when they played in San Diego two years ago. She’s gathered plenty of experience since, but it’s not quite enough to make her the favorite here.
Prediction: Frech in 3
Magda Linette vs Danielle Collins
Head-to-head: Collins 1-0
It’s a tough one to predict with both players beginning their hard-court swing. Danielle Collins has been nowhere near as impressive as she was last year, but from time to time, she shows the peak level is still intact. The American hasn’t played a heavy schedule this year either and you’d expect her to pick it up in the tournaments on home soil now. The match against Magda Linette should be mostly on her racket, and the Pole typically isn’t an opponent who’ll be knocking you out of your rhythm.
Prediction: Collins in 2
Maria Sakkari vs Katie Boulter
Head-to-head: 1-1
Maria Sakkari returning to where she was a few years ago seems like a pipe dream now, but her ranking situation isn’t as bad as it may sound. After all, the Greek gained only 10 points after Wimbledon last year and will be gaining spots quickly now. The 2023 Washington runner-up has been gradually improving her form and maybe the hard-court swing is where it can all come together. Katie Boulter presently doesn’t seem to be as much of a threat as she was this time last year.
Prediction: Sakkari in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
