2025 Australian Open Round Two Day 1 Matches

Sinner vs Schoolkate :

Jarry put up a great fight, but the great thing about Sinner’s game is how willing he is to navigate close sets. He can ratchet up the pace, but he doesn’t panic or deviate from the pre-match game plan. The dual tiebreakers could be inspiring for his opponents, but the 6-1 final set is something Jannik has also developed in the past season, which is he is often the stronger fresher player going into the business end of matches. Up next he has a slightly better matchup for him. Schoolkate reversed the trouble he faced against Daniel last season and this year he was actually the stronger player in a lot of the baseline rallies. Tristan is a baller, but he’s not the biggest server. He does everything well, but nothing exceptional and you really do need a special weapon against Sinner. Sinner in 3.

Michelsen vs McCabe :

This should be an interesting matchup. Michelsen is coming from an entirely different world here. He’s been at the Next Gen finals, he’s been playing on tour for over a year, and McCabe has been grinding away at the Challenger level. McCabe’s grind has resulted in a bunch of match wins, and that’s what makes this fun. He’s just completely frozen the hype train of Martin Landaluce in a straight set victory. Landaluce had difficulty holding serve late in his qualifier final, and it carried over. McCabe is really a server first, and if you’re giving him a lead you’re going to have a long day.

Michelsen opens as the favorite here with good reason, but his win was against a very strange situation. Tsitsipas has been donating wins for long enough now that it just appears his hardcourt game is not at the top level anymore. In press, he decided to offer that he’s better than he used to be, and credits added topspin as the evidence of this. Idk. It’s really hard to watch people who’ve decided they’re smart navigate through life. They just tend to plateau in their thought process and get stagnant and reactive. They argue with reality and results, they spend a lot of time in imaginary storylines in their own thoughts, and the more they cling to the idea that they’re somehow superior to others, the more they embarrass themselves. I’m not talking about anyone in particular of course, but … yeah. I don’t see a major reason for Tsitsipas to keep losing, but there is a bunch of hard work on his backhand that needs to be done and this is not news.

Michelsen should win this serving battle, and his backhand is a little bit better. I don’t really see a reason McCabe can’t win a set or two, as the speed of these courts makes it somewhat unlikely Michelsen can defend. With the hometown crowd and very warm conditions, McCabe is a very dangerous opponent here. He’ll be comfortable with Alex’s game since they played here last year, and while that match was 3-1 in Alex’s favor the first set was a tiebreaker that Michelsen won. Expecting a closer affair here. Michelsen in 4-5.

Maroszan vs Tiafoe :

Tickets to this will be worth the money. Tiafoe and Maroszan both went to 5 sets against opponents they were expected to beat a bit quicker, and they have very similar games. Huge serves, extremely fast forehands, and as many unforced errors as you want. Tiafoe looked to be playing well at some stages against Rinderknech, but it still feels like he’s deciding what to do as the ball approaches. More tennis and more wins will get some of these decisions feeling more automatic. You can almost see when players have been playing a lot or have been getting a ton of quality coaching, and I don’t see it with Tiafoe. Maroszan is definitely the slightly worse athlete here, and his own unforced errors can cost him greatly. Tiafoe is definitely a tough opponent when he’s in form because he can put back a few extra balls, and Maroszan’s dropshots are useful generally but Tiafoe is one of the fastest guys on tour so that will be slightly reduced.

This feels like a completely even match, and this tournament is setting up a lot of those “changing of the guard” opportunities. Tiafoe has been the guy at majors who isn’t really the most consistent but can outduel people with his fast offensive shotmaking and serving. Maroszan represents something similar, and he has his best shot here with Tiafoe is a bit rusty of late. There’s no useful math here. If Rinderknech almost winning is a metric, then Maroszan can definitely beat Tiafoe. By the same token, if Maroszan needed 5 with Seyboth Wild, Tiafoe should beat him. I’m leaning towards the second. Maroszan is more disciplined, but still makes errors and can hit himself out of matches. I think Tiafoe has more shot tolerance during rallies, so Tiafoe in 5.

Djokovic vs Faria :

Name a more iconic duo than Djokovic and losing a set to a young American prospect in the first round of a major. Novak looked fine in round one, and Basavareddy gave a great account of himself. Nishesh is going to be on tour for a long time, and once he gets a bit stronger physically he can likely compete at a very high level. For now, Djokovic is through and he plays a powerful but beatable star from Portugal. Faria took advantage of a rough serving display from Kotov. Kotov had 7 double faults and served just 50% of first serves in. Faria does hit big and his game will be unknown to Novak, but neutralizing power is still something Djokovic does very well. I don’t think Faria will do well here, but it’s exciting to see all these new tour hopefuls playing a legend. Djokovic in 3.

Opelka vs Machac :

Oeplka is still nursing a back issue here so he’s not serving full speed. As such, I think a long match against Machac is a big ask. Machac serves well and his groundstrokes are really sharp and hard to read. I don’t think Opelka’s serve is really returnable even at 80% but Machac has less work to do here and I think his level will remain steady for longer. If he’s smart he’ll take a little off his first serve early in the match and lock Reilly into some rallies. Machac in 4-5.

Lehecka vs Gaston :

Lehecka’s serving was really impressive in round one. He has tremendous power on his groundstrokes to start the season and it’s great to see. Anytime he plays well I start to see parallels to Djokovic (the spot serving) and Berdych (the sound it makes coming off his racquet) in his game, and he should be able to go pretty far in this draw. Gaston got a good draw in Jasika first round as Omar wasn’t 100% physically, and he’ll test Lehecka’s patience and discipline with his frequent dropshots. Is it enough? I don’t think so. Lehecka is going to require some serious defending and I don’t think Gaston hits hard enough to really wear him down or keep him from dictating. Lehecka in 3-4.

Bonzi vs Passaro :

Passaro had a wild few hours. He got one of the latest lucky loser spots as Fognini withdrew, and then got the benefit of a Dimitrov withdrawal. He went from not in the tournament at all, to guaranteed 200k minimum, and he didn’t even really have to play any tennis. Passaro lost to Basilashvili in the final round of qualifying, and I think Bonzi’s current form is a little bit beyond him. Him and Maestrelli are the next up after Arnaldi and Cobolli, but I dont think they are quite there offensively. Bonzi in 3-4. Passaro defends well but he’s a bit better on clay where his endurance is a factor.

Draper vs Kokkinakis :

I was excited to watch Draper and Kokkinakis because both weren’t 100% physically. Draper looked genuinely exhausted, and Kokkinakis has one hip, seemingly. Despite being exhausted, Draper seemed to improve as the match went deep with Navone. It’s hard to guess what level he’ll bring here, but he does have enough game to score on Thanasi and Kokkinakis doesn’t have the backhand that Navone does. Kokkinakis winced in pain after every point, but did move fairly well against Safiullin. He looked like he was in significant pain, but made a lot of retrievals that indicated he was able to go the distance. Safiullin had the fourth set, but he just seemed to tighten up and Kokkinakis was freed up by the spectacle of it all. He had nothing to lose, and swinging for the fences is likely the best way for him to play. The crowd in that match was full of energy, but at the end of the match things got out of control. They regularly shouted out during the point on Safiullin’s shots, they made a ton of noise anytime he served a fault, and it really was a sad display. Supporting your player is great, trying to interfere with their opponent is small.

Kokkinakis vs Draper is likely to end in retirement, but while it’s going it’ll be great. Kokkinakis’ backhand is nowhere near at good at Navone’s, and Draper being lefty and having a very accurate offense will help expose Thanasi’s movement issues if there are any. Kokkinakis has a huge serve and forehand, so I don’t expect him to get blanked by a fatigued opponent, but Draper is a big step up from Safiullin. Draper in 4.

Vukic vs Korda :

Vukic had a simple draw but wound up very lucky to escape against Damir Dzumhur. Korda just made the finals in Adelaide, and played excellent against Klein. These two things add up for a straightforward win by Korda, but oddly enough Vukic beat him in 3 in Toronto in 2023. Vukic having a good serve can always help him out, and sometimes after escaping an upset players can be freed up a bit. For now, I like Korda in 3. He not only dispatched Klein in 4 sets, he also actually looked motivated. One slight worry is the amount of tape Korda had on his torso, but if he brings the same level he has in the last few matches he’ll be fine. Korda in 4da.

Thompson vs Borges :

Thompson vs Borges is a solid matchup between two good baseliners. I think Borges’ ultimate ceiling is higher, but so far on tour Thompson has better results. I am slightly reminded of how much Thompson struggled to create winners when playing De Minaur last year. Borges has a different swing production but he hits the ball similarly flat and he defends pretty well. As such, I think this is a close matchup. This feels like Maroszan Tiafoe in that I really am not sure what to expect. Borges won their previous meetings but they were on clay and grass where you wouldn’t expect Thompson to do much. Homecourt advantage is useful, but I think Borges eventually will be more able to score. Borges in 5.

Nishioka vs Alcaraz :

Alcaraz is so much better than opponents you can actually see him lose interest in matches at times. He slowed down against Shevchenko in set two long enough to be down a break, but what sets him and Sinner and the big 3 types apart is their ability to just clamp down and break back at the end of sets. The announcer made a good point that Shevchenko’s swing production means he’s only really dangerous when he gets to lean on the shots, and when Alcaraz put pace on his balls Shevchenko was pretty helpless. Nishioka is guaranteed to create some exciting rallies with Alcaraz, but he doesn’t have much shot either. In the interest of honesty, I partially think that Alcaraz is about to win everything for a good 2-3 years. He’s the best athlete on tour, and he already won a handful of major events without really being the most disciplined about his shot selection or experienced on the surfaces. That’s a bit of hyperbole because he’s extremely sharp about everything he does, but the idea of adding experience in big moments to a guy who already found a way to navigate them is really interesting. Alcaraz in 3 here, and me full of shame and regret if he loses any matches at the majors this year.

Ruud vs Mensik :

I always like to fade Ruud on a fast hardcourt, but when the moment comes at majors it gets tricky. Ruud went 5 with Munar so he’s not unbeatable, but it takes a lot of tennis. Ruud is serving fairly well recently, and that’s a big boost for his game. There was some buzz about Basilashvili being an upset risk, but Mensik was a bit too much. He absorbed pace well and he looked as fit as I’ve seen him. Halfway through the second set I tuned in and Mensik wasn’t even sweating; that’s a great sign heading into a potentially long match with Ruud.

I’m a little surprised they haven’t played yet, but these two have a somewhat similar game. Big serve, strong forehand, etc. Tennis analysis can be a little reductive, but the big difference here for me is just preference. This is the surface Mensik wants to play on, and this is probably Ruud’s weakest one. Beating Ruud at a major is extremely difficult, but to me Mensik has just enough in the gas-tank to hit through him here. Mensik in 5.

Davidovich Fokina vs Auger-Aliassime :

FAAADF. ADFFAA. No matter which way you stack it, these are two extremely reliable dudes. Bigtime reliability, that’s the vibes. Shang unfortunately still seemed ill in round one, and was forced to withdraw. ADF is likely to give us a really entertaining contest against Felix, who continued his Adelaide title run with a good performance against Struff in round one. Tennis-wise, Alejandro can respond well to the pace that FAA plays at, but the disparity in serving ability is huge here. Felix tends to lock into a service motion in his good patches, and that gives him at least a set edge here. With Fokina, the results can be frustrating but what is always good about him is that his skill level is top-tier, so he can put on a great show in spots like this. I’d say if they play this match 10 times, Fokina wins twice. Right now, FAA is peaking though, so he should win in 4.

Carballes Baena vs Duckworth :

This second round has some clear matches which is nice but it also has spots like this. RCB opened the year playing well and he’s been dispatching all the clay-court specialists. Cerundolo down, Tabilo down, and now he plays a guy who’s arguably worse than both, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a close one. James Duckworth is a tenacious player, and I hate when he wins multiple rounds because I have to google synonyms for tenacious. The insistent, steadfast, relentless Aussie is through after straight setting Stricker in round one. James, who is unyielding, indomitable, and mulish, got a big boost from the draw here as Stricker is not anywhere near the form that saw him make the third round of the 2023 US Open by beating Tsitsipas, who is not pertinacious, resolute, nor unwavering. Duckworth is better than RCB on hardcourt, but I am not sure if he can score easily on RCB. No one without huge power really can. You can break down his forehand with a good effort, but it takes a long time. I’m willing to believe that Duckworth is even here, but I wonder if his high level remains for an entire match. RCB in 5. I circled back to change this to Duckworth twice already but I just can’t do it. Prove me wrong, James, and I will google more synonyms.

Nishikori vs Paul :

Great win for Nishikori in round one. Monteiro leads the league for me in heroic performances without a reward. He played so well in that match, but in the end he just isn’t offensive enough with his backhand to win. I would expect Tommy Paul to beat Nishikori, but there are a lot of surging players playing guys in middling form in this event. Tommy won his first match, but 5 sets with O’Connell is not inspiring. For Paul to win this, he needs to isolate Kei’s forehand. Nishikori has the much better backhand, but Tommy’s defensive backhand is just good enough to fend this off. If Nishikori is dictating though, his ability to redirect down the line with his backhand will become a problem. In cross-court forehand exchanges, it’s likely that Tommy will be able to remain on the baseline and from there his speed is good enough to win. I’m guessing stamina decides this one, and the early sets are something I’d expect them to trade since both are solid. Nishikori is at his best, but Tommy is younger and has a bigger offense than Monteiro. Paul in 4-5.

Humbert vs Habib :

No one can deal with Habib. I knew Bu was a bit overrated, but I never would have expected him to lose in straight sets. I think Humbert wins this one so I’ll circle back to it, but for now I want to announce that Habib had 18 aces in round one, and 61 winners. 16 WINNERS? WHAT THE FLUFFFFFFF. Habib is one of the most exciting players just off tour right now, and this high profile matchup is just the thing we need to see where he stands. Humbert’s offense is a little too strong for Humbert at this stage, but Habib’s ability to find wins and his explosive shotmaking are more than welcome on my laptop screen anytime. If he can win a set here, this could get interesting, but Humbert in 4 is the most likely outcome.

Halys vs Fils :

Fils losing the first sent off alarm bells, and with his track record of hitting himself out of matches, any poor start will be scary. He managed to get through, and his reward is a compatriot that probably can’t hang with Fils in a long match. Halys narrowly edged past Walton, and he has a huge service game and great skill, but is a tiny bit slow for the tour so Fils should eventually win. Since Fils plays a bit faster than he really can consistently manage, and since Halys has great power and serving, I expect there to be a stretch where Quentin wins a handful of games in a row. Fils in 4ish.

Cazaux vs Fearnley :

Cazaux looked pretty smoked against Baez, but he managed to hang on. Cazaux’s stamina issues and injury problems have really held his career back a bit. When he’s healthy, he has a great serve and big groundstrokes. When he’s tired, it becomes extremely tense in every baseline rally. I think Fearnley is a bit better off than him here. He played way less tennis, and he dealt with a tricky offense in Kyrgios already. Fearnley has been doing excellent on the Challenger level, but if you watch him you’ll see he has a complete game. Fearnley is ready for the tour, and he can cement his position with a win here. Fearnley in 5.

Martinez vs Zverev :

Zverev has a good draw, and the right combination of opponents for him to get a lucky title. Martinez will give us our first look at Zverev’s mental fortitude, as the tricky Spaniard will play a number of dropshots and slices and really see if Zverev is focused. Even with all the tricks in the book and a great deal of heart though, Martinez is going to have a tough time returning serve, and Zverev’s height and backhand make him an excellent returner at this level. Zverev in 3-4.

WTA Singles :

Sabalenka vs Bouzas Maneiro :

Kartal was not prepared to deal with the powerful defensive baselining of Bouzas Maneiro, and it sets up an interesting match for the young phenom against the #1 player on tour. It’s funny how I felt like Swiatek was the #1 tennis player for a while now, even thought Sabalenka was the top rank. Sabalenka’s consistent play to open this season is really impressive, and I think the run continues here. With Tauson next round and Andreeva in the 4th, I don’t really see an obstacle to Sabalenka making the second week. Bouzas will put up a good fight here, but she’s outgunned. Sabalenka in 2.

Maria vs Tauson :

Good wins for both in round one. Noskova is a threat in any single match and Tauson managed to outlast her. It’s a good sign, and she’ll have to bring a lot of patient offense here also. Maria slices almost all of her shots, and while that may remind you of some players in your local league, having to get low on 400 balls in an afternoon in front of a crowd with pressure on you is tricky. Add in that Maria has excellent defensive lobs and a ton of experience, and this is another tough match. Tauson in 2, but if her legs are tired after last week’s title run and the first round battle, this could be tough.

Frech vs Blinkova :

Kudermetova was a bit fatigued after her finals run, and Frech kept her moving until she advanced. It sets up an interesting battle that I would pick Frech in based on their recent form. Oddly, Blinkova has won almost every previous meeting between these two players. I think her power lets her expose Frech’s slightly defensive forehand grip, and with her 3 set battle against Saville in round one Blinkova is likely to have been played into partial form. Last week I like Frech, but here I think Blinkova may just edge things out. She has more power, and I’d like her a bit more if she weren’t struggled to find wins lately. Blinkova in 3. Hours.

Uchijima vs Andreeva :

Uchijima was down a break in the deciding set a few times, but just kept hanging on when she needed to. She was down 7-5 in the final set tiebreaker, and managed to lose only one more point to advance. It’s clutch play, but I also think the conditions are favorable. In the Asian swing last fall, we saw a lot of upsets, as local players were just more able to compete in the heat. Uchijima and the other Japanese players have a slight edge in endurance, and she had great composure in the first round. I’m not sure how much she can get done here against Andreeva even with tricky conditions and no pressure. Uchijima hits well, but Andreeva is a little better from the baseline than most players, and if you don’t have a serve that can score on her, she tends to win with consistent pressure. Andreeva in 2.

Shnaider vs Tomljanovic :

Every game Krueger wins is stressful. Every game she loses makes me flinch. When she wins a point, it looks like she’s the best player ever invented. When she loses a point, you wonder why she went so tight to the net. As a fan, it’s tense watching her, so she must be having a tough time out there also. This is a similar progression to Samsonova/Sabalenka; players have huge power, but the court is almost a bit small for them. Krueger can hit through you in two swings, but there are small margins on her groundstrokes at this point.

Tomljanovic played an excellent game, and the highlights from this match would be amazing to watch. Ajla won because her job was simpler. By locking into cross-court exchanges, she ensured that she would be the one with fewer unforced errors. Krueger was able to win every other point for some stretches with crisp winners, but unlike most players, Tomljanovic’s power didn’t fade as things went. If you start giving Krueger time and higher balls, she’ll run away with things. If the ball is low and there’s weight behind it, it’s a lot tougher for her. Here Tomljanovic will likely play the same solid level, but against a tougher opponent. Shnaider is another big hitter, but her swing production is very repeatable and she uses a lot of spin and the appropriate pace depending on her court position. I think there’ll be periods where having to supply all the offense will lead to errors and Tomljanovic stringing together a few games, but I like Shnaider to navigate this. Shnaider in 3.

Dart vs Vekic :

Dart took good advantage of her lucky loser spot, winning a marathon against Fett. Next she has a slightly tougher match against Donna Vekic. Vekic has great power and a big offense that she varies well with dropshots, but she can lose confidence on the court so Dart will know that extending rallies and digging in regardless of the scoreline may pay off in the end. I don’t like Dart’s serving, so I’m leaning towards Vekic getting this done. Vekic in 2.

Pavlyuchenkova vs Potapova :

Pavlyuchenkova came back from a break down in the third against Yuan, and it sets up a match where I would not want to be a tennis ball. Her and Potapova hit the ball really hard, on almost every shot. I think Pavs is a bit more consistent and she’s definitely more composed on the court, but Potapova might be playing a little sharper over the last season. This should be close, but I like youth to prevail. Potapova in 3.

Siegemund vs Zheng :

Zheng had a scare in the first set against Todoni, but she was able to get through in two. She’ll have an easier time against Siegemund, who doesn’t really have the serving prowess nor the offense that Anca possesses. Zheng in 2.

Gauff vs Burrage :

Burrage played like her old self in round one, and it’s good to see her ballin again. I don’t think she can have much success against Gauff, but if she stays aggressive she should win a few games in each set. Gauff in 2.

Bucsa vs Fernandez :

Fernandez can throw in some rough performances, but she started this year well and has a nice draw here. Bucsa has great power, but her game is not completely together yet. Fernandez’s retrieving will likely force errors and she should win in 2-3.

Muchova vs Osaka :

Oooh. Muchova Osaka would be really exciting if Osaka were 100%. Here, it feels like Muchova has to win this match. Osaka had a deciding set with Garcia, and Muchova had a nice warmup with Podoroska. I think Muchova will be a little too consistent here, and after winning their previous meeting at the US Open I think Karolina will feel comfortable with Osaka’s pace. Muchova in 2.

Lamens vs Bencic :

Lamens is becoming a regular on tour which is a pretty good reward for her tenacity (hello Duckworth fans) and dedication. Maybe a month ago she’d have a good chance against Bencic, but Belinda has gotten all the right preparation in here. She played a number of small events and got reps on court, and now she’s had a few high profile matches, including a wild two set win against Jelena Ostapenko. Ostapenko was in rare form at the end of the second set, saving multiple match points, elevating her level, and also demonstrating that even umpires are a little scared of her. After a marathon game to break back for 5-5, Ostapenko jogged over to her bench to take a drink of water. I don’t know how legal that is, and the umpire didn’t turn the shotclock on until after she got back to the baseline. It didn’t end up mattering, as Bencic closed out the ensuing tiebreaker with more steady play. Lamens can rally all day, but she’s been winning by outlasting players from the baseline and I think Bencic can create too well to really lose in that manner. Bencic in 2. The one concern is fatigue and I think Bencic’s time at the Challenger/100k level helped her solve that possible issue.

Badosa vs Gibson :

Badosa should win this, but she needs to be very careful with her serve. Gibson is one of the better returners I’ve seen in a while. She lines up and crushes the ball to the open court, and it was really tough for Sonmez even thought she was winning a lot of the baseline rallies. Badosa serves a bit better than Sonmez so she should win in straights, but I’d expect her to get broken a few times. Badosa in 2.

Niemeier vs Kostyuk :

Niemeier was scary good in round one. So much power and such good serving. That gives her a chance here. Kostyuk is the sort of player who takes a while to get going and then wins. She plays a lot of 3 setters and while Hibino played nicely, Kostyuk always had a bit simpler time generating points. Kostyuk defends a bit better than Niemeier so I like her to outlast another tough test. Kostyuk in 3.

Samsonova vs Danilovic :

Great match here. Danilovic’s +1 is pretty amazing. She hits her forehand huge but when she has the open court on her backhand I don’t see many players getting there. That gives her a good chance against Samsonova, who is powerful but not exactly agile. Samsonova moves well for a taller player and her baseline game is solid, but she’s like half a step slower than the tour so Olga can likely score points even though she’s facing a higher tier opponent. Samsonova in 2-3, this could get very close with the fast conditions and two powerful players. Samsonova’s forehand is the best shot on court, but she also makes more unforced errors than her opponent.

Mertens vs Pegula :

Return of the Mert. Pegula should win this. So far this event the bigger hitter has been winning a lot of the time,and Pegula has a bit more flat pace on these quick courts. Pegula is in a nice cushion of the media circus where everyone knows she’s good but no one bothers her about winning the event she’s at, so she might be primed for some more good runs on hardcourt this season. Beating Mertens in two here would indicate she has a shot. Pegula in 2.

Rybakina vs Jovic :

Jovic is really solid, but this might be a bit too much. Sometimes off-court drama is a hindrance, sometimes it makes you play well because you can escape it all when you’re on court. Jovic will acquit herself well here, but she’s 17 and I really like her chances better against baseliners at this point. Rybakina’s serve can carry her through here, but she also hits a very heavy ball that’s likely to eventually wear Jovic down. The loss to Burel stands out to remind us that Rybakina can have a bad day with her groundstroke timing, but Rybakina in 2 is likely here.

Aiava vs Collins :

This is winnable for Aiava, but she needs to really serve well. Collins is so wildly aggressive on return that any predictable offering is going to get you broke. She’s also really not sharp with her timing, and she hit 39 unforced errors in her first round. I don’t think Aiava has won a match of this caliber yet on tour, and I’m not sure her lateral speed is good enough to really frustrate Collins, but it’s there for at least another round. Collins is going to miss. Collins probably in 2, but she really was trying to crash out in round one.

Svitolina vs Dolehide :

Dolehide was of varying quality in round one. Methinks she doth vary her quality. Dolehide has so many random power that she can ace you, and then put the next sitter overhead into the bleachers. It’s not a big mechanical production like Keys that can lose timing, but a fast one that uses a lot of arm and body weight. She just really takes the racquet out of your hands, but in good and bad ways. Svitolina is a bit rusty here so maybe there’s a chance of an upset? Svitolina having more weight on her shot and a better serve than Beklek may play a role here. Svitolina in 3.

Cristian vs Bronzetti :

Azarenka wasn’t 100% physically, and it feels like a lot more players just showed up injured to this event than usual. Bronzetti played well even though she was getting a bit of a boost, so I like her against Cristian also. Jacqueline has a more varied approach to the game and could win a set, but I think Bronzetti’s commitment to big hitting and no unforced errors is likely to wear her down and make her force shots. Bronzetti won their last meeting, and had a good shot here. Bronzetti in 2.

Sramkova vs Swiatek :

Big tek! Beating Siniakova in straights was a good start for Swiatek. I think this is the same match basically. Sramkova serves a bit better but it’s another solid baseliner, and if Iga navigates this well it’s sets up a fancy matchup against Raducanu or Anisimova which should be great. Swiatek in a tough two sets.