WTA/ATP Oeiras: 2nd Round Predictions including Cirstea-Kanepi, Schiavone-Puig

1. Sorana Cirstea v Kaia Kanepi

Sorana Cirstea

The scheduling for the centre court at the Portugal Open is ridiculously ATP centric, but they have at least picked out the best of the women's match to open proceedings as the defending champion, Kaia Kanepi takes on Sorana Cirstea.  On paper it looks the best match, but it could easily develop into a peak-WTA match laden with errors.  Cirstea had a tough opening round on paper against 11-time clay court titlist, Anabel Medina Garrigues, but in truth, the Spaniard is really struggling this year and even a terrible second set couldn't upset Cirstea, who eventually won, 6-2 2-6 6-1.   

Kanepi is stil getting back into the swing of things following a lengthy injury, but she had a good win over Kristina Mladenovic, 6-4 6-2.  Cirstea leads the head-to-head by 3 wins to 2, but their last three matches have all gone deep into a third set.  It really could go either way with the nature of their game styles, but I am expecting a Kanepi charge at a future tournament and it could easily be this one...

Prediction - Kanepi to beat Cirstea in 3 lopsided sets

2. Monica Puig v Francesca Schiavone

Francesca Schiavone

There is a batch of promising WTA prospects starting to make their presence known on the tour and one of those is Monica Puig.  She lost in the final round of qualifying, but earnt a reprieve with a lucky loser spot and took full advantage of it with a stunning straight sets win over Julia Goerges, who continues to blow hot and cold.  Puig now takes on the champion of Marrakech, Francesca Schiavone.  The Italian had a final rematch with Lourdes Dominguez Lino, losing a set this time, but still having too much game for the Spaniard in a 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory.  Unsurprisingly, this is a first career match-up between the pair and Puig will fancy her chances against the Italian who will no doubt be tired from playing five matches last week.  Still, the Italian can rely on a great depth of experience and should have enough in the tank as she goes in pursuit of nicking a seeding at Roland Garros...

Prediction - Schiavone to beat Puig in 3 sets

3. Yanina Wickmayer v Carla Suarez Navarro

Yanina Wickmayer

The Belgian number two, Yanina Wickmayer has really struggled in 2013 bar a solid campaign down under in Australia.  She did however manage a win in the first round against Anna Tatishvili, 6-1 7-5.  She will face a much tougher second round match against Carla Suarez Navarro, who recovered from a break down in her match on Monday to storm past Marina Erakovic, 6-3 6-0.  Suarez Navarro has had a very consistent year and is close to breaking the top 20.  Now on her favourite surface of the red clay, Suarez Navarro will be eagerly searching for a first ever WTA title and this tournament is a distinct possibility.  Wickmayer won't be easy though, whatever form, as her aggressive groundstrokes could rush the Spaniard; however I am still backing Suarez to make the quarter-finals and further...

Prediction - Suarez Navarro to beat Wickmayer in 2 tight sets

Best of the rest: WTA 2nd round predictions

Peng Shuai to beat Romina Oprandi in 3 sets

Svetlana Kuznetsova to beat Galina Voskoboeva in 2 sets

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to beat Estrella Cabeza-Candela in 2 sets

Elena Vesnina to beat Monica Niculescu in 3 sets *on the fence!*
Ayumi Morita to beat Urszula Radwanska in 3 sets

Best of the rest: ATP 2nd round predictions

David Ferrer to beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin in 2 sets

Benoit Paire to beat Victor Hanescu in 3 sets

Andreas Seppi to beat Alejandro Falla in 3 sets

Tommy Robredo to beat Pablo Andujar in 2 tight sets

David Goffin to beat Pablo Carreno-Busta in 3 sets

Paolo Lorenzi to beat Fabio Fognini in 3 sets

Gastao Elias to beat Denis Istomin in 2 sets

Stanislas Wawrinka to beat Albert Ramos in 2 very tight sets