The Miami Open tennis tournament moves into the second round for the women’s half of the action in Key Biscayne. After a successful opening day with our tennis picks when we went 2-1, we gave back a little bit on Wednesday as we went 1-2 with our picks. Monica Puig lost in straight sets while Alize Cornet lost in three sets. We did end up winning with Julia Goerges, though. The bottom half of the draw takes the court on Thursday, knowing that with Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, and Petra Kvitova not in the field, there’s a vast ocean of opportunity in this coastal city.
Karolina Pliskova vs. Madison Brengle
Karolina Pliskova will look to advance beyond the second round of the Miami Open just for the second time in her career when she takes the court against Madinson Brengle on Thursday. Pliskova has already won titles in Brisbane and Doha and had a great run last week in Indian Wells, defeating Monica Puig, Erina- Cameila Begu, Timea Bacsinszky and Garbine Muguruza before falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova in two tiebreakers in the semifinals. The 25-year-old Czech star has only been past the second round once in Miami, but she’s been super consistent in 2017, going deep in almost every tournament she has entered except Dubai.
Madison Brengle remains the only player to topple Serena Williams this year, but apart from that result in Auckland, where she made the quarterfinals, she is hardly done anything noteworthy. Brengle finds herself in this position after outplaying Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, in the first round. The last time they played in 2014, Pliskova beat Brengle handsomely. The result won’t be any different this time. Take Pliskova with your tennis picks in this spot.
Pick: Pliskova in straight sets
Garbine Muguruza vs. Christina McHale
Garbine Muguruza loves it in Miami, but she is yet to pass the fourth round in the South Florida city. The Spaniard has started the year decently but has had to battle obstacles. Muguruza made the semifinals in Brisbane, where she had to retire against Alize Cornet, then had to pull out of Sydney. When nobody gave her a chance in Melbourne, the reigning French Open champion made the quarterfinals out of nowhere. Muguruza had a good week in the California desert, where she made the quarterfinals. She’ll be eager to continue her good form in Miami but has a a tough second rounder.
McHale is a dangerous customer and all the top players around the world know of her capabilities including Muguruza, whom she beat in straight sets last year in Indian Wells. The American has posted some solid results this year, making the semifinals in Mexico and round of 16 finishes in Sydney and Dubai. However, in the marquee events like the Australian Open and Indian Wells, she has failed to deliver and has lost in the opening rounds in both tournaments.
McHale has the game to trouble and beat Muguruza but the Spaniard will be too much. Take her with your tennis picks.
Pick: Muguruza in three sets
Caroline Wozniacki vs. Varvara Lepchenko
The No.12 seeded Wozniacki, who reached the semifinals in Miami in 2012, is one of the hottest players of the season. Though she’s yet to win a title this year, her recent results suggest it won’t be long before she has one. The Dane opened the season with back-to-back quarterfinals at Auckland and Sydney, then later reached back-to-back finals in Doha and Dubai. She backed it up by a run to the Indian Wells quarterfinals, and there is absolutely no doubt she is among the favorites to lift the Miami trophy. Wozniacki looks relaxed and is playing aggressive, consistent tennis. She started out the year well, so her confidence is high and big results seem just around the corner.
Wozniacki opens against Varvara Lepchenko, who defeated fellow American Lauren Davis in straight sets in the first round. Lepchenko is ranked 83rd in the world and holds a decent 7-6 record this season. Although Lepchenko looked fluid in her victory over Davis, she is not expected to cause any trouble to the former world No. 1. She should cash for our tennis picks.
Pick: Wozniacki in straight sets
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