We've got three picks from the Strasbourg second round today, and with a 100% chance of rain hanging over the clay courts, expect some disruptions and slow conditions throughout the day. Let's get into it.
WTA Internationaux de Strasbourg Predictions
Ann Li vs Ekaterina Alexandrova
Head-to-head: Li 0-2 Alexandrova
Alexandrova has won both previous meetings, but Li has been playing some of the best tennis of her career recently and comes in as a genuine threat here. The slow, wet clay in Strasbourg suits someone who can grind and redirect pace and Li does that well enough to stay in long rallies without panicking.
That said, Alexandrova is the higher-ranked player for a reason and her flat, direct game can be a handful on any surface. I think the conditions tip this enough in Li's favor that she flips the H2H, though it almost certainly goes three sets.
Prediction: Li in 3
Clara Tauson vs Jaqueline Cristian
Head-to-head: Tauson 3-3 Cristian
Three-three, and on clay Cristian is always a tough out. She's one of those players who just doesn't give you free points, and Tauson at her best is brilliant but Tauson at her worst hands matches away cheaply. The slow conditions from the rain should drag rallies longer, and that plays more into Cristian's hands than Tauson's.
Cristian wins this one.
Prediction: Cristian in 3
Victoria Mboko vs Lois Boisson
Head-to-head: First meeting
Mboko comes in as the higher seed and has been solid on clay this season, but Boisson is a French player on a clay court in France, so expect her to be motivated and comfortable in these conditions. First meetings are always a bit of a wildcard, and the rain-soaked surface could level things slightly. That said, Mboko's ranking advantage is real and I feel like she gets through this, even if it takes three sets to do it, all things considered.
Prediction: Mboko in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Rodrigo Reyes Marin/ZUMA Press Wire