Losing the WTA Prague final to Nao Hibino must have been very disappointing for Linda Noskova last year. She was considered the big favorite of that clash, but couldn’t find her game on the day at all. Now she’s coming back as the top seed ranked World No. 26 and once again, all eyes are on her going into the event. She’ll begin the tournament by facing Katarina Zavatska. We also predict the rest of the day’s matches, split between two other articles. One features Magda Linette vs Mona Barthel while the other highlights Katerina Siniakova vs Louisa Chirico. Who do you think will come out on top?
WTA Prague Day 2 Predictions
Jana Fett vs Alison van Uytvanck
Head-to-head: First meeting
Some big runs of late have seen Jana Fett get pretty close to a Top 100 return, while Alison van Uytvanck came back from an injury hiatus in February and things have been going pretty well for her since as well. The Belgian lost in the qualifying here to Louisa Chirico, but has made it in as a lucky loser. That performance was far from the standard we usually expect of her and she doesn’t seem to be adapting to the clay that well at his stage of her career. Fett might be able to grind her down.
Prediction: Fett in 3
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs Kathinka von Deichmann
Head-to-head: First meeting
Kathinka von Deichmann is a bit of a cult hero due to her one-handed backhand, which is such a rare shot particularly in the women’s game these days. Her career has been stuck at around the same level for years though and it doesn’t seem like the 30-year-old will earn her breakthrough soon. She lost in the qualifying here to Mona Barthel, but got in as a lucky loser. There’s not much she can do to scare Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, particularly with the Slovak coming off a Budapest semifinal run.
Prediction: Schmiedlova in 2
Linda Noskova vs Katarina Zavatska
Head-to-head: First meeting
Linda Noskova made the semifinals in Prague in 2022, then lost in the final in 2023. Is it time for a title run from the top seed? That possibility cannot be excluded, although the Czech has been a bit patchy since a great start to the year in January. We’ll see if the tournament switching to clay this season will derail her in any way or not. No matter the surface, Katarina Zavatska is an opponent she probably should be feeling relatively comfortable against.
Prediction: Noskova in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
