A few first-round picks from Rome today, and we've got at least one match that should be genuinely hard to call. Let's get into it.
WTA Italian Open Predictions
Katerina Siniakova vs Lois Boisson
Head-to-head: First meeting
These two are separated by just four ranking spots, but Siniakova is the more established player on clay and has the kind of all-court game that tends to work well on Rome's slower red dirt. Boisson is young and has been making progress on the WTA tour, but a first-time meeting against a former top-10 player in Rome isn't the easiest draw to kick off your week.
Siniakova wins this comfortably enough.
Prediction: Siniakova in 2
Ann Li vs Shuai Zhang
Head-to-head: Li 2-0 Zhang
Li holds a clean 2-0 lead in the head-to-head and has looked sharp recently, so Zhang is going to need something different this time around. That said, clay does tend to neutralize Li's flatter ball-striking a bit, and Zhang has been around long enough to make any match awkward, especially on a slower surface where experience counts. I think this one goes the distance before Li pulls it out.
Prediction: Li in 3
Anna Bondar vs Qinwen Zheng
Head-to-head: Zheng 1-0 Bondar
On paper this is Zheng's match to lose, and the ranking difference is real, but Bondar is a clay-court grinder who makes things uncomfortable and keeps the ball in play longer than most players want. Zheng has had some inconsistent stretches lately and hasn't always handled the physical demands of slow clay, which can expose even top-ten players over a long match, as well as her ranking suggests she should. Bondar in three feels right here, grinding it out over a long afternoon and should still find a way to get through here, all things considered.
Prediction: Bondar in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
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