A few first-round picks from the WTA Italian Open in Rome to get through today, and there are some interesting ones in here. Let's get into it.
WTA Italian Open Predictions
Xiyu Wang vs Xinyu Gao
Head-to-head: First meeting
Wang comes in ranked almost 120 spots above Gao and has been a consistent presence in the top 100 for a while now, so on paper this is straightforward. That said, these two have never met, and Chinese derbies can produce unpredictable tennis, especially in a first-round setting where nerves play a role for both players.
Still, the ranking gap is real and Wang should have enough to get through, all things considered. I think this one goes three sets, though, with Gao making her work for it.
Prediction: Wang in 3
Alina Korneeva vs Fangran Tian
Head-to-head: Korneeva 1-0 Tian
Korneeva has already beaten Tian before and comes in ranked nearly 150 places higher and Tian has struggled to make any real impact at this level on clay. Korneeva is a comfortable clay-court mover and should be able to dictate the pace of this one from the baseline without too many problems.
Prediction: Korneeva in 2
Ekaterine Gorgodze vs Nuria Brancaccio
Head-to-head: Gorgodze 0-2 Brancaccio
Brancaccio is the lower-ranked player here, but that H2H tells you something. Two wins from two against Gorgodze, and now she gets to play her on home clay in Rome, the kind of setting that suits her game perfectly, in front of a crowd that'll be behind her all the way. Hard to see Gorgodze turning this head-to-head around.
Brancaccio wins this, and I feel like it'll be tight in the way their previous matches have been.
Prediction: Brancaccio in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire