It’s the second day of the Australian Open. Day 1 opened up with a whopper of an upset as Shelby Rogers easily beat a slightly-hobbled Simona Halep. Day 2 has several great matchups as well, including the toughest first-round match that Serena Williams has seen in a Slam in a long time. Our panelists today are myself (Yesh Ginsburg), editor Sam Barker, and writer Jeff Crady.
Panelists Predictions Australian Open Women’s Day 2
Daria Gavrilova vs Naomi Broady
Sam:
If you can find a more varied contrast in styles I applaud you. This will certainly be a case of whoever turns up on the day. Gavrilova looked fairly untidy at the Hopman Cup while Naomi Broady had a decent couple of qualifying wins in Sydney. The home support may just about see Dasha through though.
Prediction: Gavrilova in 3
Jeff:
Broady has a big serve, but the spirited Gavrilova should use her better court movement and the home crowd to her advantage.
Prediction: Gavrilova in 2
Yesh:
This should be a great match between two talented but sometimes inconsistent players who are both improving. Unless one finds significantly more rhythm than the other, this should go three either way.
Prediction: Broady in 3
Camila Giorgi vs Timea Bacsinszky
Sam:
Timea Bacsinszky faded badly during the second half of 2016 and, after being one of the few women not to play an event prior to the Australian Open, little is known about her form. Meanwhile Camila Giorgi had a fine week in Shenzhen, progressing to the semi-final. I spy an upset on the cards.
Prediction: Giorgi in 2
Jeff:
Giorgi one of the most erradic, but powerful players on tour will bring her all or nothing attitude to combat the craft and style of Bacsinszky. Bacsinszky had and up and down 2016 and sometimes takes a while to find her footing in a match, but she will be consistent enough to force Giorgi into errors.
Prediction: Bacsinszky in 3
Yesh:
Giorgi looked solid leading up to the Australian Open, but Italians haven’t had much success so far in Melbourne (not that that means anything). I think Bacsinszky is just the far more talented player at this point, and picking against her seems tough.
Prediction: Bacsinszky in 2
Sam Stosur vs Heather Watson
Sam:
This will entirely come down to who mentally holds on the longest. Sam Stosur has never particularly enjoyed playing in Melbourne while Heather Watson cannot buy a win for love nor money. Except an affair littered with unforced errors and mental anguish.
Prediction: Stosur in 3
Jeff:
In a match of two players both famous for getting the yips, and being immensely talented, Watson will use her movement and forehand to overcome a very tight Stosur (who has never played well in her home country or Slam). If Stosur can calm her nerves and suppress the negative memories of prior Aussie Opens, the win is on her racquet. Prediction: Watson in 3
Yesh:
Stosur is one of the most talented women on tour, but she just hasn’t been able to put it all together since winning the US Open back in 2011. Melbourne has been somewhere she has cracked under the pressure, consistently, every single year. Watson can win this if she can hold her nerve. Yeah, this is gonna be a fun one.
Prediction: Stosur in 3
Agnieszka Radwanska vs Tsvetana Pironkova
Sam:
Aga Radwanska generally has a record at the Australian Open that suggests she will win this, having reached at least the quarter-finals in five of the last six year. Pironkova did beat Radwanska at Roland Garros last year but after withdrawing from Sydney there are question marks over her health.
Prediction: Radwanska in 2
Jeff:
Radwanska had a strange warm up tourney losing early last week; however she has always loved the courts in Melbourne. Pironkova has made a name for herself off the grass courts with better hardcourt results in the last few years, but Radwanska does everything Pironkova does (minus the powerful, flat forehand) better.
Prediction: Radwanska in 2
Yesh:
This match is only intriguing because Pironkova upset Radwanska at last year’s French Open. The Russian is no longer just a grass-court wonder, but beating Radwanska in Melbourne is a tough ask indeed.
Prediction: Radwanska in 3
Johanna Konta vs Kirsten Flipkens
Sam:
Given the way she has started the year, Johanna Konta is the clear favorite for this one. After collecting the Sydney title Konta looks in imperious form and it will take something special from Flipkens to stop her. The fact that she has semi-final points to defend could be a mental factor but in reality her mentality is one of her strongest assets.
Prediction: Konta in 2
Jeff:
Konta has been on fire the past two seasons and has always played well in Australia. The Aussie expat will continue her power game and beat the the veteran serve and volleyer Flipkens in two sets.
Prediction: Konta in 2
Yesh:
Konta just keeps on getting better and better. It’s hard to guess just what her ceiling is, but she may very well be close to it. Flipkens, meanwhile, has a ton of talent at net but hasn’t been playing as well as Konta recently.
Prediction: Konta in 2
Serena Williams vs Belinda Bencic
Sam:
The headline act of a festival of fascinating first-round fixtures. The star of women’s tennis versus a future star. They have met twice before with Bencic actually winning their last meeting in Canada. Given her injury problems of late it might be a few matches too soon for her to really challenge Serena.
Prediction: Serena in 3
Jeff:
Serena received a tough draw in facing the former top 10 young gun Bencic. Bencic suffered through a bout of injuries in 2016 which dropped her out of the top echelon of the rankings. Bencic has the power and game to beat a Williams who is spraying the ball. Serena finds just enough to beat Bencic in 3 sets.
Prediction: Serena in 3
Yesh:
This tournament started with a big upset at the beginning of Day 1 on Rod Laver Arena, and I have a feeling the second day will be something similar. Bencic is a future star and has beaten Serena once already. It won’t be easy, but give me the huge upset.
Prediction: Bencic in 3
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