Charleston Open 2024, Day 3: Women's singles predictions ft. Caroline Wozniacki vs Anhelina Kalinina
Day 3 of the Charleston Open will witness the second round of the women's singles tournament as the participants stake their claim for a spot in the last 16.
Former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki has made a strong start in Charleston and will be seen in action. She only dropped one game in her opening bout against Mccartney Kessler and outclassed the American with a scoreline of 6-0, 6-1 en route to the second round.
Likewise, reigning Miami Open champion Danielle Collins made light work of Paula Badosa in the first round. Winning 73% of her first serve points in their tie, she eliminated the Spaniard in straight sets (6-1, 6-4).
Two of the top 10 seeds, Ons Jabeur and Elina Svitolina, will also feature on Day 3 of the Charleston Open. On that note, let's take a detailed look at the significant matches lined up in Charleston.
#1. Caroline Wozniacki vs Anhelina Kalinina
Caroline Wozniacki will square off against 15th-seeded Anhelina Kalinina in the second round of the Charleston Open.
While Wozniacki cruised past Mccartney Kessler in the first round, Kalinina received a first-round bye due to her ranking points. The Ukrainian also leads the head-to-head against Wozniacki 1-0 and outfoxed her in the second round of the Miami Open last month.
Both players have made a decent start to their respective seasons so far and are knocking on the door to make a significant impact on tour. While Wozniacki reached the quarterfinals at the WTA 1000 in Indian Wells, Kalinina secured a semifinal finish in the ATX Open in Austin.
Considering their recent form and success ratio on clay courts, the Charleston crowd can expect a close contest in the second round. Wozniacki ran out of gas during their recent encounter in Miami despite winning the first set. But the former World No. 1 made a flawless start in the Charleston Open and should be able to avenge her previous loss to Kalinina this time around.
Pick: Wozniacki to win in straight sets.
#2. Ons Jabeur vs Danielle Collins
Second seed Ons Jabeur will take on Danielle Collins in the second round of the Charleston Open.
Jabeur has struggled for form this season and has made an ordinary start to the year, considering her high standards. She will be eager to present a strong challenge to Collins and set the tone early in Charleston.
Collins, meanwhile, has found her best form in the last few weeks on tour. She stunned the tour with a splendid title-winning run in the Miami Open and continued her purple patch with a dominant performance against Paula Badosa in Charleston.
The American also leads the head-to-head battle against Jabeur 2-1 and defeated the Tunisian most recently in the Miami Open two years ago. While Jabeur has the pedigree to raise her game and present a formidable challenge in the second round, their recent form and head-to-head record tilt the tie in Collins' favor. The in-form 30-year-old should be able to cause an upset and edge past the defending champion.
Pick: Collins to win in three sets.
#3. Elina Svitolina vs Daria Saville: Charleston Open R2
Seventh seed Elina Svitolina will face Daria Saville in the second round of the Charleston Open.
While Svitolina received a first-round bye, Saville secured a hard-fought three-set win against Tamara Korpatsch. The Australian has been exceptional in Charleston so far, entering the main draw via the qualifiers and then booking her place in the second round.
Svitolina and Saville are no strangers to each other and have locked horns nine times on the main tour. The Ukrainian has dominated their head-to-head battle 7-2 so far and has also won their last six encounters.
Saville will be high on confidence considering her recent run in Charleston but Svitolina's impressive 66% win ratio on clay makes her the favorite to come out on top.
Pick: Svitolina to win in straight sets.
#4. Victoria Azarenka vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Twelfth seed Victoria Azarenka will take on Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the second round of the Charleston Open.
While Azarenka received a first-round bye, Cocciaretto started her campaign with a brilliant win against Ana Bogdan. Despite losing the first set, she outlasted the Romanian in two hours and 23 minutes to win 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(6). The head-to-head between Azarenka and Cocciaretto is locked at 0-0.
The Italian, Cocciaretto, has played most of her tennis on the ITF circuit this year and is yet to find her bearings on the main tour. She could find it difficult to make adjustments against Azarenka's remarkable all-around game.
Moreover, the 34-year-old Belarusian has made a strong start this year and will enter Charleston on the back of a semifinal finish in the Miami Open. She has a decent record on clay and should be able to use her experience to navigate past this challenge.
Pick: Azarenka to win in straight sets.