All 16 WTA Wuhan round of 32 matches are scheduled for Day 3. This includes an intriguing battle of the siblings between Mirra Andreeva and Erika Andreeva, one of four contests predicted in this article. The rest of the matches are split between three articles: Coco Gauff vs Viktoriya Tomova, Aryna Sabalenka vs Katerina Siniakova, and Jessica Pegula vs Anastasia Potapova. Who do you think will advance?
WTA Wuhan Day 3 Predictions
Leylah Fernandez vs. Kamilla Rakhimova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Fernandez had been on a four-match losing streak heading into the event in Wuhan, last winning in Cincinnati against Diana Shnaider. She broke that streak by beating Shnaider again, recovering from a set behind. Fernandez is the favorite in this matchup but will be wary of Rakhimova. The Russian replaced Karolina Muchova in the draw as a lucky loser and took advantage by crushing Moyuka Uchijima 6-1 6-2. Fernandez will need to consistently generate more of her own pace than the last round to overcome Rakhimova.
Prediction: Fernandez in 3
Amanda Anisimova vs Marta Kostyuk
Head-to-head: Kostyuk 2-0 Anisimova
Kostyuk overcame Elina Avanesyan in a brutal battle in the opening round. Playing again without a day’s rest might be challenging, but the Ukrainian is among the fittest players on the WTA Tour. Anisimova also possesses an entirely different style from Avanesyan and prefers to keep the points short. Kostyuk generally likes redirecting pace, as proven in her previous meetings against the American. This is a very tough match to call, but Kostyuk’s grit and Anisimova’s inferior movement in the fast Wuhan conditions might tip the contest in the Ukrainian’s favor.
Prediction: Kostyuk in 3
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Qinwen Zheng vs Jaqueline Cristian
Head-to-head: Cristian 2-1 Zheng
This is a tough opening round for Zheng. Cristian’s victories against the Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, Madison Keys, and Emma Navarro prove how dangerous she can be. The head-to-head may also alarm Zheng’s fans, but it is slightly misleading. All their previous meetings were on clay, and Cristian’s wins were in 2019 and 2021. Zheng is a significantly better player now, and she has the tools to handle the Romanian’s formidable forehand if she plays near her best.
Prediction: Zheng in 2
Mirra Andreeva vs Erika Andreeva
Head-to-head: First meeting
Mirra Andreeva is undoubtedly the more talented of the two sisters. However, Erika’s abilities often go unnoticed because of her more high-profile younger sister. The 20-year-old proved that with an impressive performance to overcome the Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastremska in the previous round. Both sisters play similarly, and Mirra usually implements that style better. It will be interesting to observe whether playing against her sister impacts her.
Prediction: Mirra Andreeva in 2
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
