Former finalist Varvara Gracheva faces home favorite Taylor Townsend in the first round of the WTA ATX Open in Austin, Texas. That is one of six matches on the schedule on Day 1 of the tournament. Who will advance?

WTA Austin Day 1 Predictions
Elizabeth Mandlik vs Whitney Osuigwe

Head-to-head: Osuigwe 2-1 Mandlik

This is an interesting all-qualifier battle. Mandlik earned her spot in the main draw with victories over the returning Jennifer Brady and the resurgent Linda Fruhvirtova. Osuigwe, for her part, dropped a combined ten games in two qualifying matches to reach the Austin main draw for the first time. Mandlik and Osuigwe have played three times at the ITF level, but this will be their first meeting at Tour level. Mandlik won their last match on clay last season and the 24-year-old has a bigger forehand to control the court on a quick surface.
Prediction: Mandlik in 3

Wang Xinyu vs Rebeka Masarova

Head-to-head: Wang 1-1 Masarova

Wang is a solid 11-5 this season. She opened her campaign with a runner-up finish in Auckland and reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the Australian Open. Masarova has registered one main draw win this season and won two qualifying matches in Austin. These two met in Cluj-Napoca earlier this month, and Wang recorded a routine straight-sets victory. Conditions should still favor the flat, heavy ground strokes from the Chinese World No. 33, but her occasional lapses can leave a window of opportunity for Masarova to take this match to a third set.
Prediction: Wang in 3

Taylor Townsend vs Varvara Gracheva

Head-to-head: Townsend 1-0 Gracheva

The Australian Open remains the only tournament that Taylor Townsend has played this season. And she entered the main draw in singles as a last-minute lucky loser entrant. Towsend’s impressive net play and lefty serve tend inject variety, and she is a nightmare to play against when her first-strike patterns click. But limited match play raises questions about her sharpness and endurance. Varvara Gracheva is a proven performer at this event (finalist on debut in 2023), and the Frenchwoman should be expected to pressure Townsend’s second serve and extend points.
Prediction: Gracheva in 2

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