{"id":70847,"date":"2024-07-26T12:00:25","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T16:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=70847"},"modified":"2024-07-26T13:56:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T17:56:29","slug":"paris-olympics-day-1-womens-doubles-predictions-gauff-pegula-saville-perez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2024\/07\/26\/paris-olympics-day-1-womens-doubles-predictions-gauff-pegula-saville-perez\/","title":{"rendered":"Paris Olympics Day 1 Women’s Doubles Predictions Including Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula vs Daria Saville and Ellen Perez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 1 of the Paris Olympics tennis tournament is Saturday, and it kicks off the men’s and women’s singles and doubles events. In addition to our regular predictions of all singles matches, as a special treat for you us at LastWordOnTennis will be sharing predictions for the Olympics doubles matches. Coco Gauff headlines Day 1 as she begins her quest for three medals in Paris. Will she advance? Predicting Saturday’s matches are Jordan Reynolds, Jim Smith, and Yesh Ginsburg. We also have predictions for the rest of the Day 1 matches in a separate article–featuring Angelique Kerber and Laura Siegemund vs Katie Boulter and Heather Watson<\/a>, in what could be Kerber’s final career match<\/a>. Who do you think will move on? (Note that in Olympic doubles, a third set is a match tiebreak–first team to ten points wins.)<\/p>\n

As a special for the Olympics, we will also be predicting all of the day’s other matches, both singles and doubles. We will link to our other Olympic predictions at the bottom of the article. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

Paris Olympics Day 1 Women’s Doubles Predictions<\/h2>\n

Saisai Zheng and Xinyu Wang (China) vs Lyudmula Kichenok and Nadiia Kichenok (Ukraine)<\/h4>\n

Jordan:<\/em>
\nThe Kichenok sisters have enjoyed some doubles success together, including winning four titles. Wang is the most decorated women\u2019s doubles player in this matchup after winning the French Open last year, but I will back the Ukrainians to progress. Their familiarity as a team makes them slight favorites.
\nPrediction: Kichenok and Kichenok in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Jim:<\/em>
\nExperience will likely prove to be important at the Olympics in the doubles. The pressure will be on, which is where Nadiia and Lyudmila Kichenok will likely have the edge. The Chinese pair are probably the better players individually, but the Kichenok sisters should prove to be a more effective team.
\nPrediction: Kichenok and Kichenok in 2<\/em><\/p>\n

Yesh:<\/em>
\nYes, the Kichenoks are sisters\u2014twins, actually. And they\u2019re really good at doubles. They have great rhythm and chemistry on the court. Very few fans might know their names before the Olympics, but don\u2019t be surprised if they\u2019re getting medals on the podium next week.
\nPrediction: Kichenok and Kichenok in 2<\/em><\/p>\n

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Yue Yuan and Shuai Zhang (China) vs Beatriz Haddad Maia and Luisa Stefani (Brazil)<\/h4>\n

Jordan:<\/em>
\nZhang and Haddad Maia have the most doubles experience of the four players, but Zhang is the most decorated as a two-time Grand Slam women\u2019s doubles champion. The Chinese pair are narrowly favoured to progress. Stefanini has poor previous results in doubles, which might prove to be decisive.
\nPrediction: Yuan and Zhang in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Jim:<\/em>
\nThis looks like a potentially close match. But comparing the two teams, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Zhang Shuai will ultimately make the difference. All four are fine players, but Zhang Shuai boasts a superb record in the doubles, as well as an excellent singles career.
\nPrediction: Yuan and Zhang in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Yesh:<\/em>
\nZhang is only really comfortable on a doubles court nowadays, but the Brazilians are better overall and both fine with doubles too.
\nPrediction: Haddad Maia and Stefani in 2<\/em><\/p>\n

Maria Lourdes Carle and Nadia Podoroska (Argentina) vs Tamara Korpatsch and Tatjana Maria (Germany)<\/h4>\n

Jordan:<\/em>
\nPodoroska reached the semifinal in the women\u2019s doubles at the French Open in 2021, while Maria was a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon in 2018. Korpatsch and Lourdes Carle have had little previous success in doubles. Therefore, Maria may need to carry her partner somewhat, but the veteran has been struggling a lot on the singles court recently. It might not be the best time for her to carry such a burden.
\nPrediction: Lourdes Carle and Podoroska in 2<\/em><\/p>\n

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Jim:<\/em>
\nAt the risk of reducing another doubles match to a single player, given neither of these pairs compete together regularly, Tatjana Maria should have the skillset to have a significant impact. The German\u2019s touch in the forecourt is excellent and her slice is invariably difficult to handle.
\nPrediction: Korpatsch and Maria in 3<\/em><\/p>\n

Yesh:<\/em>
\nMaria has been relatively quiet since her shocking semifinal run at Wimbledon<\/a> two years back, but her game is built for doubles. Don\u2019t underestimate her, and with Korpatsch they could go far.
\nPrediction: Korpatsch and Maria in 2<\/em><\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>