We've got three first-round matches to break down from the WTA Oeiras Jamor Ladies Open today, played under partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures around 15°C on the clay. None of these are headline grabbers, but there's some genuine intrigue in a couple of them, so let's get into it.
WTA Oeiras Jamor Ladies Open Predictions
Sinja Kraus vs Oksana Selekhmeteva
Head-to-head: Kraus 1-1 Selekhmeteva
All square, which makes this one feel closer on paper than the ranking gap suggests. Selekhmeteva is ranked 46 spots higher and has been the more consistent performer on clay at this level, and I think that difference shows up over three sets if Kraus pushes her. Kraus has the win in the H2H to show she can do it, but Selekhmeteva is the safer pick here.
Prediction: Selekhmeteva in 3
Nuria Brancaccio vs Petra Marcinko
Head-to-head: First meeting
Marcinko is ranked #77 and Brancaccio is #152, so on paper this looks comfortable for the Croatian. But Brancaccio is a clay-court grinder who keeps the ball in play and makes opponents work for everything, and that style tends to frustrate players who aren't used to these slower European clay conditions. Marcinko hasn't shown enough on this surface to make me feel confident backing her, and hard to see this being competitive at all. Brancaccio wins this one straight.
Prediction: Brancaccio in 2
Darja Semenistaja vs Leolia Jeanjean
Head-to-head: Semenistaja 0-1 Jeanjean
Jeanjean leads their only meeting, which gives her a psychological edge coming in, and the Frenchwoman can be a handful on clay when her game is clicking. That said, Semenistaja is ranked higher and has been the more reliable player recently, and one H2H result doesn't tell the whole story. This feels like a match that goes the distance, with Semenistaja finding a way through in the end, all things considered.
Prediction: Semenistaja in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Rob Prange/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire