Elise Mertens vs Diana Shnaider Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Monterrey Open

Prediction published on 26/02/2023, 08:46  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 26/02/2023 at 15:45 in Tennis Predictions

Fourth seed Elise Mertens faces unseeded Diana Shnaider in the Monterrey Open first round. Whoever wins this match will take on either a qualifier or Camila Giorgi in round two. Mertens is currently 42nd in the live rankings. Mertens could do with a good run this week after an inconsistent start to the new year which began with her ranked 29th. The Belgian reached the third round of the Australian Open despite a tricky draw. Wins came over Garbine Muguruza and Lauren Davis but she then lost to the eventual winner Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. The last 16 was made in Abu Dhabi. where Mertens beat Martina Trevisan (ranked 25th at the time) before a loss to fourth seeded Veronika Kudermetova. Her most recent tournament was in Doha where three qualifying rounds were won before being beaten by Danielle Collins in the first round of the main draw. 

Diana Schnaider is down at 94th in the live rankings. This is only her third WTA tournament of the year and the first since the Australian Open. 2023 began for her with a first qualifying round defeat to Jaqueline Cristian (ranked 146th at the time) in Auckland. The Australian Open went a bit better for the Russian with a run to the last 64. Schnaider won three qualifying matches and then beat Kristina Kucova in the first round. No players in the top 190 were beaten though. The second round saw her go a set up on Maria Sakkari but ended up losing to the sixth seed. That was her first time in a Grand Slam. Back Mertens to get a win over the 18-year-old.