The WTA Beijing Open is well and truly underway across both tours, as on the WTA side, where the event is a WTA 1000, first-round matches are being contested before the seeded players take center stage in the coming days. Day 2 brings a packed slate of matches featuring big names and up-and-coming local players alike, and we at LWOT will be giving you predictions for each match. But who do you think will advance?
WTA Beijing Day 2 Predictions
Storm Hunter vs Yu Jun Lin
Head-to-head: First meeting
With limited WTA Tour experience, local youngster Yu Jun Lin gets a chance to play in front of what should be a packed home crowd. Her opponent, Storm Hunter, qualified through the qualifying rounds, acclimating herself to the conditions. While this should be a great learning point for the Chinese youngster, Hunter, on the back of her lefty baseline game, should be able to come through.
Prediction: Hunter in 2
Camila Osorio vs Lanlana Tararudee
Head-to-head: First meeting
This match pairs Lanlana Tararudee’s aggressive baseline game with Camila Osorio’s more defensive, grinding style. Osorio is the more consistent player from the back of the court and will look to use that consistency to secure a win. But on the faster hard courts at WTA Beijing, Tararudee should prefer these conditions. In what should be a tightly contested match, I think Tararudee can edge this one.
Prediction: Tararudee in 3
Kamilla Rakhimova vs Marina Bassols Ribera
Head-to-head: Rakhimova 2-0 Bassols Ribera
After a positive showing in qualifying, Marina Bassols Ribera takes on Kamilla Rakhimova in her opening main-draw match. The Spaniard will once again rely on her court coverage and scrambling ability to grind out points, but Rakhimova’s aggressive style of play should prove just a bridge too far on these faster WTA Beijing courts.
Prediction: Rakhimova in 2
Alycia Parks vs Lin Zhu
Head-to-head: Parks 1-1 Zhu
This match features a battle between two aggressive players: Lin Zhu likes to be the aggressor from the back of the court, while Alycia Parks is a big server who doesn’t shy away from coming to the net when the opportunity presents itself. Given their playstyles, I expect both players to have stretches, given the high-variance style. But Parks has the higher ceiling, and if she serves well, she should win this match.
Prediction: Parks in 3
Main Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski – Imagn Images
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