A couple of matches to preview from the Guadalajara Open Akron today, with rain threatening and temperatures around 67°F at the venue. Both matches have a pretty clear favorite on paper, but hard court in Guadalajara can throw up some surprises.
WTA Guadalajara Open Akron Predictions
Cristina Bucsa vs Sara Bejlek
Head-to-head: Bucsa 2-0 Bejlek
Bucsa owns this matchup, and both of those wins weren't flukes. She reads Bejlek's game well and has been consistent enough this season to hold her ranking in the mid-40s, which isn't easy on the WTA tour right now. Bejlek is ranked higher at 28, but rankings can be a bit misleading when one player has a perfect record against another.
That said, Bejlek is the better player overall and will be confident coming in. I think Bucsa's familiarity with this matchup carries her through again, though Bejlek makes her work for it this time.
Prediction: Bucsa in 3
Kayla Day vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Day is ranked 123rd and hasn't shown anything recently to suggest she can trouble a top-50 player on hard courts. Samsonova is a big hitter who can be streaky, but she has enough firepower to get through a match like this without needing to be at her best and hard is comfortably her best surface.
Hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: Samsonova in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Marcin Cholewinski/ZUMA Press Wire