The second round in Beijing wastes little time getting interesting. Iva Jovic begins her campaign as the No. 10 seed against Harriet Dart, who has already survived a three-setter, while Maria Sakkari faces qualifier Storm Hunter. Then comes the heavyweight clash: Jelena Ostapenko against Paula Badosa, before Coco Gauff starts her title bid against Camila Osorio. There is plenty of variety here, from home-crowd pressure to contrasting styles and one particularly intriguing battle between former champions and as always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule. But who will advance?
WTA Beijing Day 4 Predictions
Iva Jovic vs Harriet Dart
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Iva Jovic enters as the No. 10 seed and has the advantage of a first-round bye, while Harriet Dart arrives with a match under her belt after beating Yihan Qu in three sets.
Dart’s experience and ability to absorb pace should make this a useful early test for Jovic. The American, though, has the bigger upside from the baseline and should be able to take control if she gets enough chances to dictate with her forehand. Dart can make this awkward, but Jovic has the weapons to find her way through.
Prediction: Jovic in 2
Maria Sakkari vs Storm Hunter
Head-to-Head: Sakkari 1-0 Hunter
Storm Hunter has already done the hard part of getting through qualifying and then backed it up with a convincing 6-2 6-1 win over Lin Yufei. Maria Sakkari, meanwhile, enters as the No. 25 seed after receiving a bye.
Hunter’s left-handed game can create awkward angles, but Sakkari should be able to test her with heavier hitting and a more aggressive return position. The Greek’s movement is another important factor: if she can consistently extend rallies beyond the first few shots, Hunter will have to earn almost every point. Sakkari’s greater experience at this level should tell.
Prediction: Sakkari in 3
Aug 28, 2023; Flushing, NY, USA; Maria Sakkari of Greece in action against Rebeka Masarova of Spain on day one of the 2023 US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jelena Ostapenko vs Paula Badosa
Head-to-Head: Ostapenko 3-2 Badosa
This is easily one of the standout second-round matches in this group. Paula Badosa has already had to survive a marathon against Daria Kasatkina, winning 4-6 7-6 6-4, while Jelena Ostapenko comes in fresh after her bye as the No. 24 seed.
There won’t be much time to breathe when these two start trading blows. Both are at their most dangerous when they can dictate from the baseline, and Ostapenko’s ability to take the ball early could be especially important against a Badosa who has already spent more than two hours on court. Badosa has enough power to make this a battle, but Ostapenko’s freshness and slightly more direct attacking game should give her the edge.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 3
Coco Gauff vs Camila Osorio
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Coco Gauff begins her Beijing campaign against Camila Osorio after receiving a first-round bye as the No. 3 seed. Osorio comes in with some rhythm of her own, having beaten Lanlana Tararudee 6-3 6-3 in the opening round.
Osorio’s speed and ability to change direction could make this interesting, particularly if she can drag Gauff into extended exchanges. But Gauff has the heavier serve, greater defensive range and more ways to turn a neutral rally into an attacking one. Osorio should have moments, but Gauff’s ability to control the bigger points should eventually separate them.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Main Photo Credit: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz