We've got three second-round picks from the WTA Istanbul Open today, with the clay courts in Istanbul playing under cool, partially cloudy skies around 59°F. None of these are marquee matchups, but that's what makes the second round of these smaller events interesting. Which of these players do you think books their place in the next round?
WTA Istanbul Open Predictions
Storm Hunter vs Guiomar Zuleta De Reales
Head-to-head: First meeting
Hunter is a doubles specialist who has never really found consistent form in singles, and at 199 in the world that ranking tells the full story. Zuleta De Reales is ranked just above her and this is about as even as it gets on paper, but on clay and in a three-setter, the Colombian's baseline game should be enough to get through here, all things considered.
Prediction: Reales in 3
Alice Tubello vs Elizara Yaneva
Head-to-head: First meeting
Two players outside the top 200 and no data to separate them, which makes this genuinely hard to call. Tubello is French and has a decent record on clay at the lower levels of the tour and I feel like that familiarity with the surface is the small edge she needs in a tight one.
Prediction: Tubello in 3
Katherine Sebov vs Berfu Cengiz
Head-to-head: First meeting
Cengiz is ranked 465 in the world and is playing in front of a home crowd in Istanbul, which will help, but the gap between these two is too wide to ignore. Hard to see this being competitive at all. That said, the crowd factor on a small clay event can shift a point or two, but it doesn't close a 240-ranking gap, and Sebov should be comfortable enough in three sets.
Prediction: Sebov in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Daniel Lea/Cal Sport Media