dpFormer World No. 1 Venus Williams headlines Day 1 action at the WTA Hong Kong Tennis Open. Williams seeks to win her first match in over a year when she faces fellow American Mary Stoiana in the first round. The WTA season enters its penultimate week, so who will impress?
WTA Hong Kong Day 1 Predictions
Aliaksandra Sasnovich vs Katie Volynets
Head-to-head: Volynets 3-0 Sasnovich
Aliaksandra Sasnovich has played some impressive tennis in this swing. She reached the last 16 in each of her last two tournaments. She earned a big win over the highly talented Nikola Bartunkova in Tokyo and took a set from the eventual champion Diana Shnaider. That’s the form Katie Volynets will be facing here. Volynets is undefeated against the Belarusian, but all three meetings were on clay. I expect Sasnovich’s aggressive approach to pay off in Hong Kong.
Prediction: Sasnovich in 3
Claire Liu vs Tatiana Prozorova
Head-to-head: first meeting
Claire Liu and Tatiana Prozorova sit just a few spots apart outside the Top 100. Liu has more Tour experience and is the higher-ranked player. That said, Prozorova arrives in Hong Kong with excellent momentum. The Russian has won nine of her last 13 matches, and if she’s able to sustain it, I’ll back her to have a slight edge.
Prediction: Prozorova in 3
Venus Williams vs Mary Stoiana
Head-to-head: first meeting
Mary Stoiana’s last push for a Top 100 debut continues at the WTA Hong Kong Tennis Open. She enjoyed a fine run as a qualifier in Osaka (quarterfinalist) and has won 47 matches at all levels this season. At some point, it feels like Venus Williams’ losing streak will end. But last week’s crushing defeat to 18-year-old Lilli Tagger in Guangzhou extends this wretched run with few encouraging signs. I can’t look past the in-form Stoiana and very likely in straight sets.
Prediction: Stoiana in 2
Main Photo Mandatory Credit: Matthias HauerGEPA via USA TODAY Sports
