A nice clear evening in Washington for three second-round matches we've picked out from the Mubadala DC Open, with temperatures sitting around 69°F and no rain in sight. Let's get into it.
WTA Mubadala DC Open Predictions
Janice Tjen vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: First meeting
Tjen has had a quietly solid season and earning a win in the first round here wasn't a fluke, but Kalinskaya is a level above on hard courts and has the firepower to make this uncomfortable pretty quickly. She hits flat and hard off both wings and Tjen doesn't have an obvious way to neutralize that.
That said, Kalinskaya has had some injury issues this season and hasn't always closed out matches cleanly when she's had the chance, so I wouldn't be shocked if Tjen takes this to three. Still, Kalinskaya should get through, all things considered.
Prediction: Kalinskaya in 3
Leylah Annie Fernandez vs Alexandra Eala
Head-to-head: Fernandez 1-0 Eala
Their only previous meeting went to Fernandez, but Eala, now broken into the top 30, is a completely different player now than she was back then. Her ball-striking on hard courts has become genuinely dangerous and Fernandez brings the fight every single match and never really lets anyone off the hook, so this one's going to be physical and close.
I feel like Eala's current form edges this in her favor. Fernandez will make her work for every point, but Eala has enough in the tank right now to flip the H2H.
Prediction: Eala in 3
Ashlyn Krueger vs Naomi Osaka
Head-to-head: Krueger 1-0 Osaka
Krueger actually beat Osaka in their only meeting, and she's a tough, grinding hard-court player who won't give anything away cheaply. Hard to see this being competitive at all, though, because Osaka at her best on a hard court is a different proposition entirely, and she's been finding her footing again since returning to the tour, with her ranking back up to 13 reflecting some real consistency over the past several months.
Osaka wins this. The serve is a weapon Krueger won't have an easy answer for, and if Osaka stays aggressive from the baseline she shouldn't need a third set.
Prediction: Osaka in 2
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Marcin Cholewinski/ZUMA Press Wire