
Six second-round matches are scheduled on Day 3 of the WTA Adelaide International, and we split predictions for those matches into two articles. This article features #6 seed Emma Navarro, who will take on Yulia Putintseva. Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova is also in action, but which players will get the win?
Head-to-Head: Joint 1-2 Tomljanovic
19-year-old rising star Maya Joint defeated former Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin in the first round. She controlled the match well, winning key points in the tiebreak and breaking serve effectively while saving multiple break points. It was her first win of the season after two defeats against great players. Ajla Tomljanovic is the more experienced compatriot and has beaten Joint the last two times. However, I am taking the younger player to get revenge this time.
Prediction: Joint in 3
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Kimberly Birrell defeated Anastasia Potapova in the first round to register her first-ever main draw win in Adelaide. Birrell has started the season positively and is one win away from re-entering the Top 100. However, it will take a massive performance from her to beat Marketa Vondrousova, who got a confidence-boosting win over Liudmila Samsonova. Vondrousova’s variety should help her prevail without losing a set.
Prediction: Vondrousova in 2
Head-to-Head: Navarro 1-0 Putintseva
Emma Navarro got her first win of the season, beating wild card Emerson Jones in straight sets. The match was closer than the scoreline suggests, as Navarro had to work hard on her service games. She will have to lock in even more against a tricky opponent like Yulia Putintseva, who is defending semi-final points this week and has won three straight matches, including qualifying so far. I expect a close contest with many extended rallies, but Putintseva should win.
Prediction: Putintseva in 3
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