Three picks from the Strasbourg qualifying today, and it's a cold, grey day in Alsace with temperatures barely touching 46°F and rain looking almost certain. Heavy conditions like this on clay tend to slow everything down even further, so expect long rallies and a lot of grinding. Which of these qualifiers do you think makes it through?
WTA Internationaux de Strasbourg Predictions
Talia Gibson vs Eva Lys
Head-to-head: First meeting
Gibson has had a solid year and her ranking reflects real progress, but Lys has been one of the more quietly impressive players on the WTA tour over the past twelve months and her game travels well to slow clay. She's comfortable in long baseline exchanges and wet, heavy conditions like today's should suit her fine.
In a first meeting with nothing much to separate them on paper, I think Lys takes this in three and should still find a way to get through here. Gibson won't go quietly, but Lys has the steadier clay game of the two.
Prediction: Lys in 3
Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Shuai Zhang
Head-to-head: Maia 2-0 Zhang
Maia owns the head-to-head and is the more natural clay-court player, so picking against her here feels counterintuitive, but her form this year has been a real concern. She's struggled to put together back-to-back wins for months, and Zhang, for all her inconsistency, still has the experience and the weapons to take a set off anyone on a slow surface.
Zhang gets this one. Maia's ranking has dropped all year for a reason and a qualifying match in Strasbourg on a cold, damp day isn't the environment for a form turnaround.
Prediction: Zhang in 3
Mccartney Kessler vs Renata Zarazua
Head-to-head: Kessler 3-0 Zarazua
Kessler leads this head-to-head 3-0, including two wins on clay, and is ranked nearly 40 spots higher, so calling Zarazua here goes against pretty much every trend in this matchup. That said, Zarazua is a genuine clay-court grinder and heavy, wet conditions like today are exactly the kind that favour her game, wearing opponents down over three sets.
Hard to see Kessler's history here meaning much on a day like this. Feel like the conditions do enough to swing this Zarazua's way, even if the history says otherwise. Wouldn't be shocked if Kessler wins, but we're going with the upset.
Prediction: Zarazua in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Michele Eve Sandberg/ZUMA Press Wire