{"id":16021,"date":"2019-06-16T21:20:20","date_gmt":"2019-06-17T01:20:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=16021"},"modified":"2019-06-16T21:21:43","modified_gmt":"2019-06-17T01:21:43","slug":"mallorca-open-day-1-predictions-bencic-peterson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2019\/06\/16\/mallorca-open-day-1-predictions-bencic-peterson\/","title":{"rendered":"Mallorca Open Day 1 Predictions Including Belinda Bencic vs Rebecca Peterson"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Mallorca Open begins on Monday and will open with bright sunshine on the beautiful island with the competitors looking to hone their grass-court games in preparation for Wimbledon. An interesting field, which includes the returning Maria Sharapova, should make for an entertaining week of tennis. But who will advance on day one?<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Johanna Larsson<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Head-to-head: <\/strong>Sorribes Tormo 0-1 Larsson<\/p>\n<p>The first match of the day on Pista Central will see Sorribes Tormo of Spain battle Sweden\u2019s Johanna Larsson for a place in the main draw. The Spaniard, who recently claimed victories in the main draw in Paris and Nottingham, is the top seed in the qualifying and it\u2019s hard not to be impressed with the changes she has made to her game of late. Larsson\u2019s 2019, however, has featured far too many first-round exits for a player of her quality.<\/p>\n<p>Even on the few occasions that Larsson has manufactured a win, it has been immediately followed by a second-round loss with the Swede yet to claim back-to-back wins this season. There just aren\u2019t a lot of positive takeaways for Larsson these day and she doesn\u2019t have a particularly good record on the grass, having failed to win a match at Wimbledon in eight previous attempts. As a result, it\u2019s hard to see an outcome that doesn\u2019t end with Sorribes Tormo finding herself in the main draw.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prediction: Sorribes Tormo in two<br \/>\n<a id=\"LpOoqfFtQaxwkGgk2aw9KA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1149967030\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'LpOoqfFtQaxwkGgk2aw9KA',sig:'2tQX9egcRXLd3y8w3HN3j1lq5RJGdUW17RXpM9lj46Y=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1149967030',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sofia Kenin vs Kirsten Flipkens<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Head-to-head:\u00a0<\/strong>Kenin 1-0 Flipkens<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2019\/06\/01\/serena-williams-upset-by-20-year-year-old-sofia-kenin-in-french-open-third-round\/\" target=\"_self\">confident Sofia Kenin<\/a> is sitting inside the world\u2019s top 30 and seems ready to take on anyone. The American\u2019s game combines strong defense with careful strategy and she already has three top 10 wins to her name, including one in Mallorca after she beat then-world #6 Caroline Garcia last season. She\u2019ll start her Mallorca Open run against the struggling Kirsten Flipkens. Flipkens had a reasonable showing on the grass in Hertogenbosch, reaching the quarterfinals, and made a memorable run to the last four at Wimbledon in 2013. But, the 33-year-old is not the player she was six years ago and her second serve has become a real weakness. Expect Kenin to punish it.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prediction: Kenin in two<br \/>\n<a id=\"YVnT17k1THRgHXl5vwraYA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1152595496\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'YVnT17k1THRgHXl5vwraYA',sig:'DKDi7YlghZvXgbIO6xQpHSH_XsBIXSzcCBIjP7iXeoc=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1152595496',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Monica Puig vs Ajla Tomljanovic<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Head-to-head:\u00a0<\/strong>Puig 0-2 Tomljanovic<\/p>\n<p>The head-to-head certainly favours Tomljanovic, but Monica Puig is enjoying a resurgent 2019 likely thanks to the guidance of her coach, Kamau Murray. The Puerto Rican has found a level of consistency she\u2019d been lacking and is playing a much smarter style of tennis. And as they haven\u2019t played since 2017, don&#8217;t give too much credence to those past results. Puig is a different and much more capable player in 2019, one definitely capable of claiming the win.<\/p>\n<p>Ajla Tomljanovic will surely look to use her powerful backhand to control the court. The Australian has played some fine tennis in 2019, posting the results to match, and she should feel confident. The fact that Puig hasn\u2019t yet beaten her will bolster that confidence all the more. However, Tomljanovic is prone to some very inopportune double faults. To take the next step, Tomljanovic must improve from the line. Until she does so, opponents of Puig\u2019s ability will have an obvious Achilles\u2019 heel to target.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prediction:\u00a0Puig in three<br \/>\n<a id=\"GLgu3Du1Q-t5Lc3kwuvIkw\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1153050706\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'GLgu3Du1Q-t5Lc3kwuvIkw',sig:'661DtzkToJoGZ9zEijvGdE_r1Rs36U01RPHlRwt9x6U=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1153050706',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Katerina Siniakova vs Alison Van Uytvanck<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Head-to-head: <\/strong>Siniakova 1-1 Van Uytvanck<\/p>\n<p>Katerina Siniakova has long been an accomplished doubles player, but she\u2019s been finding some significant success in singles this year as well. Using her impressive defensive abilities and skilful net play, Siniakova was able to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2019\/06\/01\/siniakova-stuns-osaka-in-paris\/\" target=\"_self\">best world #1<\/a> Naomi Osaka at the French Open in the third round, an undeniably impressive win even if Osaka errors played a big role in the Czech\u2019s victory, her fifth over top 10 opposition.<\/p>\n<p>Playing in her third grass tournament of the year, Alison Van Uytvanck will be looking to better what was a disappointing week in Rosmalen, where she lost in the second round to qualifier Elena Rybakina. But the Belgian, who last year upset defending Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza at the All England Club, can certainly play on the grass. She should be able to make inroads into the Siniakova serve. But, she has struggled badly behind her own deal, and unless that changes unexpectedly, expect Siniakova to make her way into the Mallorca Open second round.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prediction: Siniakova in three<br \/>\n<a id=\"hoIsVLzaT0Z3Ab24MB4mng\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1091954340\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'hoIsVLzaT0Z3Ab24MB4mng',sig:'VI8dXGt_dPNiBUDXWrQ9_Gf9mG3Ur7xUltlTM-uz8lg=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1091954340',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Belinda Bencic vs Rebecca Peterson<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Head-to-head:\u00a0<\/strong>first meeting<\/p>\n<p>Belinda Bencic looks to have a real chance of winning this tournament. Her game is well-suited to the grass and she has enjoyed a stellar 2019 so far. There seems to be little reason to expect that not to continue in Mallorca. Sweden\u2019s Rebecca Peterson, in a marked contrast, has endured too many second-round defeats so far this year. And, with the greatest of due respect, most of the players she has lost to this year haven\u2019t been Bencic\u2019s equal. As a result, expect this to be a fairly routine start to the Mallorca Open for the Swiss third seed.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prediction:\u00a0Bencic in two<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Main photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"wnQBq2N7SldkY6CwcADCoQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1151807956\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'wnQBq2N7SldkY6CwcADCoQ',sig:'TNc5IASadHbwqpK_jwFMisXa6wi_psZVmn55pe4kdJ8=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1151807956',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Mallorca Open begins on Monday and will open with bright sunshine on the beautiful island with the competitors looking to hone their grass-court games in preparation for Wimbledon. An interesting field, which includes the returning Maria Sharapova, should make for an entertaining week of tennis. But who will advance on day one? Sara Sorribes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1838,"featured_media":16024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69,4],"tags":[4130,3446,266,474,2254,4123,6601,6602,461,3502,4122,1900],"class_list":["post-16021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-predictions","category-wta","tag-ajla-tomljanovic","tag-alison-van-uytvanck","tag-belinda-bencic","tag-johanna-larsson","tag-katerina-siniakova","tag-kirsten-flipkens","tag-mallorca-open-2019","tag-mallorca-open-predictions","tag-monica-puig","tag-rebecca-peterson","tag-sara-sorribes-tormo","tag-sofia-kenin"],"modified_by":"Jim Smith","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1838"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}