The 2025 WTA Madrid Open kick-starts on Tuesday, April 22 with Naomi Osaka, Katie Boulter & Sorana Cirstea among those in action. You can get the best predictions and tips for the day from this tournament here.
Naomi Osaka v Lucia Bronzetti
Naomi Osaka begins her Madrid Open campaign with a first round clash against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti. It’s a matchup that’s tilted in the Japanese star’s favour historically – Osaka leads their head-to-head 2-0, including a gritty three-set win at Roland Garros last year and a more routine straight-sets victory in Beijing.
Osaka’s return to the tour in 2024 after maternity leave has seen her steadily build momentum. Her hard-court form was highlighted in Miami where she notched wins over Caroline Garcia and Elina Svitolina en route to the semis.
Clay, historically her weakest surface, has shown promise lately – especially in Paris last year, where she pushed Iga Swiatek in a memorable second round duel.
Bronzetti, meanwhile, has had a mixed 2025 season.
She’s struggled for consistency, falling early in Indian Wells and Charleston, but did manage a quarterfinal run in Hobart earlier this year. Clay is a more natural surface for the Italian, though her confidence appears shaky, especially against higher-ranked opposition.
Given Osaka’s improved movement and powerful baseline game, Bronzetti will need to serve well and draw errors to stand a chance.
Osaka v Bronzetti Tip: Osaka to win: 1/3
Sorana Cirstea v Hailey Baptiste
Sorana Cirstea and Hailey Baptiste are set to clash in the first round of the Madrid Open – a matchup that pits experience against youthful exuberance on the clay courts.
Cirstea, the seasoned Romanian, has shown resilience in her 2025 campaign.
After returning from foot surgery, she reached the quarterfinals in Austin and had a notable run in Dubai, where she defeated Emma Navarro in a grueling three-hour match to secure her 24th Top 10 win. However, early exits in Indian Wells and Miami indicate some inconsistency in her form.
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On the other side, Baptiste, the 23-year-old American, has been making waves with her powerful baseline game.
She achieved a career-best performance at the Miami Open, where she stunned No. 12 seed Daria Kasatkina for her third Top 20 win. Despite this, her season has been marred by injuries, including a retirement in Doha and a walkover in Puerto Vallarta.
This encounter will be their first meeting, and it promises to be a compelling battle. Cirstea’s experience and tactical prowess will be tested against Baptiste’s athleticism and aggressive play..
Cirstea v Baptiste Tip: Cirstea to win: 10/11
Katie Boulter v Katerina Siniakova
Katie Boulter and Katerina Siniakova are set to face off in the opening round of the Madrid Open, marking their first career meeting.
Boulter has had a mixed start to the 2025 season. She began the year with strong performances at the United Cup, securing victories over Nadia Podoroska and Olivia Gadecki.
However, her subsequent results have been inconsistent, with early exits in tournaments such as Indian Wells and Miami.
Her most recent matches in the Billie Jean King Cup saw her split singles rubbers against Tatjana Maria and Suzan Lamens. Notably, Boulter has yet to play a match on clay this season, which could be a factor in this encounter.
Siniakova, on the other hand, has had a more active singles schedule in 2025. She reached the semifinals at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca and advanced to the third round at Indian Wells, where she defeated Marta Kostyuk before falling to Karolina Muchova.
In Miami, she pushed Ons Jabeur to a tight two-set match in the second round. While Siniakova is renowned for her doubles success, including a recent Australian Open title with Taylor Townsend, her singles form has shown promise this year.
This match presents a contrast in styles: Boulter’s aggressive baseline play against Siniakova’s all-court versatility. Given Boulter’s limited clay-court play this season and Siniakova’s recent singles performances, the Czech player may have a slight edge.
Boulter v Siniakova Tip: Three sets in the match: 6/5
Peyton Stearns v Kimberly Birrell
Peyton Stearns and Kimberly Birrell square off in what could be one of the more evenly contested openers on Day 2 in Madrid. Both players are outside the seeded bracket but bring contrasting strengths into this clay-court duel.
Stearns, a former NCAA champion, is beginning to carve out a presence on tour, particularly on clay. Last year, she reached her maiden WTA final in Rabat and made the third round at Roland Garros, showing natural comfort on the dirt with her heavy topspin forehand and court coverage.
This season, though, she’s struggled for rhythm, with early-round exits in Auckland, Hobart, and Miami. Madrid offers her a clean slate and a surface more suited to her style.
Birrell, on the other hand, is primarily a hard-courter. The Australian has a solid baseline game and tactical awareness but has historically found clay to be a less comfortable terrain.
Her 2025 season has included a second-round run in Hua Hin and a few wins in ITFs, but she enters Madrid without significant clay-court momentum.
If Stearns finds her groove early, she has the tools to dictate rallies and take control of the match.
Stearns v Birrell Tip: Stearns to win in three sets: 7/2
Other WTA Madrid Open 2025 Predictions for the Day
- Maya Joint v Jil Teichmann: Teichmann to win: 4/5
- Diane Parry v Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Cocciaretto to win: 1/2
- Bernarda Pera v Maria Lourdes Carle: Pera to win: 7/10
