We've got three picks from the first round of qualifying at the WTA Ladies Open in Figueira da Foz, played under overcast skies and mild temperatures around 18°C. Nothing glamorous about qualifying day, but there are some interesting matchups here. Let's get into it.
WTA Ladies Open Figueira da Foz Predictions
Manon Leonard vs Anastasia Kulikova
Head-to-head: Leonard 0-1 Kulikova
Kulikova owns the only previous meeting between these two, so there's at least some evidence she can handle Leonard, and the ranking gap here isn't massive. Leonard sits at 315 to Kulikova's 453, so on paper this should be Leonard's match to lose, but the head-to-head adds a wrinkle worth noting.
That said, ranking differences at this level in qualifying tend to play out as you'd expect over three sets, and Leonard's the higher-ranked player for a reason. I think she finds a way through, even if it takes the distance.
Prediction: Leonard in 3
Maria Martinez Vaquero vs Elena Micic
Head-to-head: First meeting
Micic is actually the higher-ranked player here at 348 versus Vaquero's 421, so this isn't a straightforward call. First meetings in qualifying are always a bit of a coin flip when the rankings are this close and on a neutral hard court with no prior data to go on, small margins decide everything.
Vaquero gets the nod here, but don't be surprised if Micic takes this one. These two are close enough on paper that either outcome makes sense.
Prediction: Vaquero in 3
Carmen Lopez Martinez vs Momoko Kobori
Head-to-head: First meeting
This one's not particularly close on rankings. Kobori comes in at 333 while Lopez Martinez is down at 707, and that gap, a difference you rarely see bridged in qualifying, is hard to overlook in a format where you don't get many chances to recover. Hard to see Lopez Martinez making this competitive beyond maybe a set, and Kobori should be the more consistent player across the board, all things considered.
Prediction: Kobori in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © AFP7 via ZUMA Wire