A few first-round picks from the WTA French Open to get through today, and there are some genuinely interesting matchups on the clay. Who do you think makes it through?
WTA French Open Predictions
Iva Jovic vs Alexandra Eala
Head-to-head: First meeting
Two young players meeting for the first time, and this one is tough to call cleanly. Jovic has had a strong year to get to 17 in the world and she's shown she can compete on clay consistently enough. Eala has been impressive since breaking through and her ranking at 42 probably undersells how dangerous she can be on this surface.
That said, Jovic's ranking advantage is real and first meetings on clay tend to go the way of the more settled player. I feel like this goes the distance but Jovic finds a way.
Prediction: Jovic in 3
Linda Noskova vs Maria Sakkari
Head-to-head: Noskova 1-1 Sakkari
Sakkari was once a genuine clay threat, a Roland Garros semifinalist who loved to grind, but she's fallen to 47 in the world and the results just haven't been there for a while now. Noskova is the higher-ranked player and has the bigger weapons, and on a slower clay surface the flat ball-striking she relies on can sometimes be neutralized, but Sakkari isn't in good enough form right now to take consistent advantage of that.
Noskova wins this, all things considered, though I wouldn't be surprised if Sakkari pushes her to three sets on a good day.
Prediction: Noskova in 3
Jasmine Paolini vs Dayana Yastremska
Head-to-head: Paolini 6-1 Yastremska
This is the upset pick of the day, and it's a genuinely surprising one. Paolini owns this matchup almost completely, and she's been one of the best clay-court players on the women's tour over the past two years, a Roland Garros finalist who competes well at every level. Yastremska is ranked 52nd and has lost to Paolini six times in seven meetings, which makes this a hard pick to defend on paper.
And yet, here we are picking Yastremska. She does hit the ball flat and hard and can blow through opponents when the timing is on, and Paolini hasn't been at her very best lately. That said, it still feels like a stretch, but the pick is the pick.
Prediction: Yastremska in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Marcin Cholewinski/ZUMA Press Wire