We've got three picks from Washington today, with clear skies and temperatures around 74°F making for good conditions on the hard courts. Some interesting matchups to get into, so let's go.
WTA Mubadala DC Open Predictions
Daria Kasatkina vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: Kasatkina 4-1 Kalinskaya
That H2H is a real problem for Kalinskaya. Four wins out of five is dominant, and Kasatkina has always had Kalinskaya's number with that sliced backhand disrupting her timing. That said, Kalinskaya's ranking tells the real story of how their careers have diverged lately. Kasatkina is down at 61 in the world and hasn't been a consistent force on tour this year, and Kalinskaya is playing with a lot more confidence than she was when most of those losses happened.
I think the H2H is a bit misleading here given where both players are right now, and Kalinskaya's added weight on serve and her ability to take the ball early should give her enough to come through, all things considered.
Prediction: Kalinskaya in 3
Emma Navarro vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Head-to-head: Navarro 1-2 Cocciaretto
Cocciaretto actually leads this series, which not many people would guess given where the two players are right now. The Italian is aggressive and likes to come forward and on faster hard courts that style can cause real problems. But Navarro has developed into a much more complete player over the last twelve months, and the gap between them has widened considerably since their last meeting.
Navarro wins this one, probably after dropping a set somewhere along the way.
Prediction: Navarro in 3
Anastasia Potapova vs Venus Williams
Head-to-head: First meeting
Venus is ranked 664 in the world and hasn't been a consistent tour presence for years, and while she'll always command respect for what she's meant to the sport, Potapova is a top-30 player in her prime. Hard to see this being competitive at all. Potapova's flat, aggressive ball-striking from the baseline is well-suited to hard courts, and she should move through this comfortably.
Prediction: Potapova in 2
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Loic Baratoux/ZUMA Press Wire