Abu Dhabi Open 2023 Day 2: Women's singles predictions ft. Karolina Pliskova vs Garbine Muguruza
Main draw action at the 2023 WTA Abu Dhabi Open got underway on Monday (February 6).
The 28-player WTA 500 event has a total prize money of $780,637. The women's singles winner on Sunday (February 12) will pocket $120,150 and 470 ranking points.
Winners on the opening day of the WTA 500 event on Monday include seventh seed Anett Kontaveit and Elise Mertens. The likes of Leylah Fernandez, Shelby Rogers and Yulia Putintseva emerged from qualifying on the day and will feature in the main draw on Day 2.
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On that note, here's a look at the predictions for the eight main draw matches on the second day of action at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Open:
#1 Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Marie Bouzkova
Beatriz Haddad Maia will look to snap a two-match losing run when she opens her campaign at the Abu Dhabi Open against Marie Bouzkova.
The World No. 14 opened the season with a quarterfinal run at the Adelaide International 1 but fell in the first round at the Australian Open. Meanwhile, Bouzkova is also coming off an opening-round exit Down Under and is 1-2 on the year.
The 26th-ranked Czech lost her only previous meeting with Haddad Maia in the 2022 Monterrey Open quarterfinals in a third-set tiebreak. Nevertheless, expect her to turn the tables on her Brazilian left-hander on Tuesday in another tight affair.
Prediction: Bouzkova in three sets
#2 Paula Badosa vs Liudmila Samsonova
After missing the Australian Open due to injury, World No. 21 Paula Badosa will return to action at the Abu Dhabi Open against eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova.
The Spaniard is 3-2 on the season, making the semifinals at the Adelaide International 2. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Samsonova, ranked 19th in the world, is coming off a second-round showing at the Australian Open.
Samsonova has won both her two previous meetings with Badosa. She is likely to extend her unbeaten streak on Tuesday.
Prediction: Samsonova in straight sets
#3 Karolina Pliskova vs Garbine Muguruza
Karolina Pliskova will open her Abu Dhabi 2023 campaign against two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza.
The 20th-ranked Pliskova opened her season with consecutive losses but found form at the Australian Open, reaching the last eight. Muguruza, meanwhile, has had a wretched start to the season, losing her first four matches.
The 83rd-ranked Spaniard is unlikely to find much joy against Pliskova, who has won nine of the pair's previous 11 meetings. Expect the Czech to pile on Muguruza's misery in a comprehensive win.
Prediction: Pliskova in straight sets
#4 Bianca Andreescu vs Yulia Putintseva
Bianca Andreescu will open her Abu Dhabi 2023 campaign against Russia's Yulia Putintseva.
The 2019 US Open winner is coming off a semifinal run at the Thailand Open in Hua Hin and is 5-3 on the season. Meanwhile, Putintseva has won only three of her eight matches this year, including an opening round loss in Hua Hin.
Andreescu, who will meet her 45th-ranked opponent for the first time, should prevail in straight sets on Tuesday.
Prediction: Andreescu in straight sets
#5 Rebecca Marino vs Qinwen Zheng
Rebecca Marino will take on Chinese sensation Qinwen Zheng in her opening round at the Abu Dhabi Open.
The 74th-ranked Canadian is on a three-match slide, stumbling in the opening round at Hobart and the Australian Open after making the Round-of-16 in Auckland. Meanwhile, Zheng made the Australian Open second round last month and is 3-3 on the season.
Zheng won the pair's lone previous main draw meeting in the Toronto first round last year and should prevail again against the Canadian.
Prediction: Zheng in three sets
#6 Shelby Rogers vs Leylah Fernandez
Shelby Rogers will look to return to winning ways when she takes on 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez at the Abu Dhabi Open on Tuesday.
The 46th-ranked Rogers has won only one of her four matches this year. She's coming off a second-round loss to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open last month. Meanwhile, Fernandez, 3-2 on the season, also made the second round Down Under.
Rogers leads the pair's head-to-head 2-1, but Fernandez's better recent form should see her prevail.
Prediction: Fernandez in straight sets
#7 Jil Teichmann vs Dayana Yastremska
Jil Teichmann will look to open her Abu Dhabi Open campaign with a win when she takes on Dayana Yastremska.
The 28th-ranked Teichmann is off to a 2-2 start on the season, while Yastremska has won only one of her three matches. The World No. 102 is coming off a second-round showing in Hua Hin.
Yastremska has won the pair's two previous meetings and could extend that streak on Tuesday.
Prediction: Yastremska in three sets
#8 Barbora Krejcikova vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Barbora Krejcikova will look to continue her purple patch when she opens her 2023 Abu Dhabi Open campaign against Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
The World No. 30 made the fourth round at the Australian Open and won the doubles title with her compatriot Katerina Siniakova. Meanwhile, Ruse is 1-2 on the season.
The action continues!
Day 2, lets GO!
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Krejcikova won the pair's lone meeting in the Bucharest opening-round four years ago and should prevail again.
Prediction: Krejcikova in straight sets