We've got three first-round picks from the WTA Catalonia Open in La Bisbal d'Empordà today, under partially cloudy skies with temperatures around 20°C and a decent chance of rain hanging over the day. Could be a tricky day for clay-court tennis, and there are a couple of matchups here worth paying attention to.
WTA Catalonia Open Predictions
Emiliana Arango vs Daria Kasatkina
Head-to-head: Arango 0-1 Kasatkina
This is the most interesting match of the day on paper. Kasatkina is the higher-ranked player, but her 2025 has been a mess and she's nowhere near the level she was showing 18 months ago when she was a genuine top-10 force. Arango, on the other hand, has been quietly putting together a solid clay season and at 88 in the world she's no pushover on this surface.
The one prior meeting went Kasatkina's way, but that doesn't mean much given how different both players look right now. I think the Colombian can take this one if she stays aggressive and doesn't let Kasatkina find her rhythm from the baseline.
Prediction: Arango in 3
Alina Charaeva vs Dalma Galfi
Head-to-head: First meeting
Galfi is the higher-ranked player and the more experienced of the two on clay, and that should be enough here. Charaeva hasn't broken into the top 100 yet and this feels like too big a step up on a surface where Galfi is reasonably comfortable. Nothing flashy about this pick, but Galfi gets through, all things considered.
Prediction: Galfi in 3
Jil Teichmann vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Head-to-head: First meeting
Bouzas Maneiro is ranked 47th in the world and playing at home in Spain, which counts for something on slow clay in front of a crowd that knows her name. That said, Teichmann is ranked 191st and hasn't been a consistent force on tour for a while now, so the gap between them is real. Hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: Maneiro in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Mark Willoughby/ZUMA Press Wire