This week’s WTA 500 event in Tokyo doesn’t quite feature the strongest field and it was further hurt by several withdrawals, including that of #1 seed Jasmine Paolini, which led to the draw being reshuffled. Still, even with the absence of the world’s top players, it will still surely be a very entertainment tournament–and this Day 2 features some very appealing matchups.
WTA Tokyo Day 2 Predictions
Diana Shnaider vs Dayana Yastremska
Head-to-head: Shnaider 1-1 Yastremska
Shnaider’s 2025 has not been quite as strong as many anticipated after her breakthrough last year but she is still inside the top 20 and with plenty of upside going forward. She will be looking to finish the season strong, but here she was drawn against the player who eliminated her in Roland Garros this year. It wasn’t a kind draw, but at the same time it is a good chance for revenge. It should be a close match, but Shnaider will have the slight edge going in.
Prediction: Shnaider in 3
Moyuka Uchijima vs Sofia Kenin
Head-to-head: Kenin 1-0 Uchijima
Kenin was having a decent season, but she has really been struggling to win matches in recent months and especially here in Asia. This tournament is yet another chance to reverse that negative streak and on paper she has a very good draw here. Uchijima is a solid player and will be playing at home, but Kenin should be able to pull through in the end.
Prediction: Kenin in 3
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Victoria Mboko vs Bianca Andreescu
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is argubaly the most interesting matchup of the day, between the former and current hopes of Canadian tennis. One thing the two have in common is that they are in a very negative streak, with Mboko failing to win a single match ever since her sensational run to the title in the Canada Masters and Andreescu having only one win since July. A win here will be a massive boost for either player and both will do their best to get it, but at this point it’s possible that Andreescu’s superior tour experience prevails.
Prediction: Andreescu in 3
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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