A few second round picks from the WTA Paris Masters today, and none of these feel like obvious slam dunks. We've got a couple of tight ones and one match where the ranking gap is bigger than the actual talent gap, so let's get into it.
WTA Paris Masters Predictions
Shuai Zhang vs Yuliia Starodubtseva
Head-to-head: Zhang 0-1 Starodubtseva
Starodubtseva got the better of Zhang in their only previous meeting, and the Ukrainian has been putting together a quietly solid season. Zhang is a tricky opponent on any surface but at 65 in the world she's not playing her best tennis right now and Starodubtseva's baseline game on clay gives her a real path through this one.
I think this goes three sets, Zhang won't go away easily, but Starodubtseva has enough to close it out.
Prediction: Starodubtseva in 3
Emma Navarro vs Katie Volynets
Head-to-head: Navarro 1-0 Volynets
Navarro is ranked 28th but she's been knocking around the top of the WTA draw all season and is a much better player than that number suggests. Volynets at 101 in the world is the kind of opponent Navarro should be beating pretty comfortably, and the H2H already goes in her favor. That said, Volynets is capable on clay and won't just fold, so expect Navarro to have to work for it.
Prediction: Navarro in 3
Anastasia Zakharova vs Katie Boulter
Head-to-head: Zakharova 0-1 Boulter
Boulter is fundamentally a grass and hard court player, and clay has never really been her surface. Zakharova at 79 in the world, a player who clearly feels at home on this surface, is no pushover here and this feels like the kind of match Boulter can lose if she's not switched on from the start. Hard to see this being competitive at all in Boulter's favor if she comes in flat. But Boulter already beat Zakharova once before and the ranking difference, while modest, does still favor her slightly.
I feel like this one goes the distance and Boulter should still find a way to get through here, all things considered.
Prediction: Boulter in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Irina R. Hipolito/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire