{"id":11442,"date":"2019-01-13T00:18:52","date_gmt":"2019-01-13T05:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=11442"},"modified":"2019-01-13T00:18:52","modified_gmt":"2019-01-13T05:18:52","slug":"australian-open-day-1-womens-predictions-including-sloane-stephens-vs-taylor-townsend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2019\/01\/13\/australian-open-day-1-womens-predictions-including-sloane-stephens-vs-taylor-townsend\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian Open Day 1 Women’s Predictions–Including Sloane Stephens vs Taylor Townsend"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2019 Grand Slam season of tennis is upon us. After a few weeks of exhibitions and smaller tournaments, players are ready to fight for the first Major of the season. Tennis fans around the world will live on Melbourne time for the next two weeks at the Australian Open<\/a>. Us at LWOT will be here with you, predicting matches daily. We’re predicting the best five women’s matches, including the all-American battle of Sloane Stephens vs Taylor Townsend. Predicting today’s matches are myself (Yesh Ginsburg), Tracey Essex, Steen Kirby, and Eric Han.<\/p>\n

Australian Open Day 1 Women’s Predictions<\/h2>\n

Kimberly Birrell vs Paula Badosa Gilbert<\/h3>\n

Tracey:<\/em>
\nWith both 21-year-olds far outside the Top 100, you might not expect much from this match. But, a strong start to 2019 is what one of these two young ladies will need to start their rankings climb. Definitely not a match on most people\u2019s mind, it will definitely be one worth watching. The Aussie, Birrell, will want a first round win in front of the hometown crowd and Badosa Gilbert wants to gain some momentum and break into the Top 100. It will be a contest forsure, but Badosa Gilbert will prevail.
\nPrediction: Badosa Gilbert in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Steen:<\/em>
\nThis is a tough matchup to call since neither player has significant experience at this level. I’ll go with the home pick though.
\nPrediction: Birrell in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Eric:<\/em>
\nBoth players are relatively unknown to the common tennis fan. Both players are playing in their first Grand Slam tournaments and no doubt there will be nerves in both of them. Badosa Gibert came through by qualifying so will already have some match play experience under her belt. Birrell, being Australian, is appearing in this draw courtesy of a wild card, but will have the home crowd support from the Aussie Fanatics. I do think Badosa Gibert will pull through this match simply because she has already played some matches in the qualifying stages. We see time after time, the qualifiers being able to produce upsets or big results in Grand Slams, simply because of their earlier match experience.
\nPrediction: Badosa Gibert in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Yesh:<\/em>
\nKimberly Birrell has become a bit of a sensation<\/a> at the start of the 2019 season. She got a good draw here in Melbourne, and should keep her story going a little longer.
\nPrediction: Birrell in 2<\/em>
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>