We've got three first-round picks from Strasbourg today, with some damp conditions making things interesting, temperatures sitting around 57°F and a 100% chance of rain hanging over the day. Let's see who gets through.
WTA Internationaux de Strasbourg Predictions
Madison Keys vs Cristina Bucsa
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is Keys' first meeting with Bucsa and honestly it's not the most complicated one to call. Keys has been one of the better ball-strikers on the WTA tour this season, and her flat, heavy groundstrokes can be brutal on clay even if it's not her best surface. Bucsa is a solid player who can grind, but she's ranked 30th for a reason and Keys at her best is a different level.
I think Keys moves through this one without too much drama, especially if the conditions slow the ball down and let her generate pace on her own terms.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Maya Joint vs Ann Li
Head-to-head: Joint 2-0 Li
The head-to-head says Joint, but Li has been the more consistent performer recently and Joint's results haven't exactly inspired confidence coming into this one. A 2-0 H2H sounds comfortable until you realize rankings can flip the picture quickly, and Li at 34 is only a few spots below Joint right now.
Li in 2 feels like the right call here. Hard to see Joint's historical edge carrying her through much else in this matchup at the moment.
Prediction: Li in 2
Sara Bejlek vs Emma Navarro
Head-to-head: Bejlek 0-2 Navarro
Navarro leads this one 2-0 and is ranked higher, so picking Bejlek to win in three is the upset call of the day. That said, Navarro hasn't been at her sharpest lately and clay is a surface where Bejlek can really dig in and make matches uncomfortable. She's a grinder who thrives in long rallies, and if the wet conditions slow things down further, that suits her just fine.
Navarro's the favorite on paper, but Bejlek in three sets should still find a way to get through here, all things considered.
Prediction: Bejlek in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Maxwell Vittorio/ZUMA Press Wire