WTA Hong Kong Day 2 Predictions Including Belinda Bencic vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich

It promises to be an entertianing week at the WTA Hong Kong Open as the season approaches its conclusion. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, but who will advance?

WTA Hong Kong Day 2 Predictions

Victoria Mboko vs Talia Gibson

Head-to-head: first meeting

Tokyo was an important week for Victoria Mboko, giving the young gun the chance to remind everyone exactly why she’s highly regarded and show that her success in Montreal was no fluke. The Canadian returned to winning ways, ending a desperate wait for a first victory since early August. Talia Gibson, meanwhile, has lost four of her last five matches, but the 21-year-old Australian has played well without luck over that stretch and fallen just short against some talented names. Still, with Mboko seemingly back to her best, the outcome will likely rest on her racket.

Sorana Cirstea vs Dalma Galfi

Head-to-head: first meeting

As far as comebacks go, Sorana Cirstea has quietly enjoyed a resurgent season after her return from injury. The Romanian was contemplating retirement during her time away from the sport at the end of last year. She has surged into the top 50 after winning her third career title in Cleveland. Cirstea is also coming off a semifinal finish in Osaka, where she stretched eventual champion Leylah Fernandez to three sets. Dalma Galfi is a capable and dangerous baseliner. This is a tough opener for Cirstea, who cannot afford any dip in form, but her best should give her enough to reach the second round.

Belinda Bencic vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich

Head-to-head: Sasnovich 2-1 Bencic

It is a busy end to the season for Belinda Bencic, who captured the last WTA 500 of the yaear in Tokyo and quickly travelled to Hong Kong. She is playing in this WTA 250 event for the first time. Aliaksandra Sansovich leads the head-to-head and will be looking to protect that winning record in this match. She has beaten Bencic in two of their three meetings on hard courts. But her last win against the Swiss was two seasons ago, when she was still ranked in the top 100. Bencic is still in her prime, and she’s brimming with confidence after winning a title last weekend.

Prediction: Bencic in 2