The WTA Auckland 2025 continues on Tuesday, December 31 with its remaining first round matches to be played today. Here’s the preview, predictions and tips for these matches from Auckland.
- Get all the remaining tennis betting tips and predictions of the day here
- Also read what’s a Tennis Betting Accumulator here
Sofia Kenin v Xiyu Wang Preview
Head-to-Head: The 81st-ranked Sofia Kenin and the world number 98 Xiyu Wang have never faced off before.
Once ranked 81st in the world, Kenin had fallen to 228th on the WTA charts at the end of the 2022 seasons after missing out on a plethora of tournaments because of fitness issues. She returned well in the 2023 season and ended the year at 33rd but things did not go too well for her in 2024.
The American lost 26 of her matches at all levels to go with just 16 wins and while she finished the previous season with a finals appearance at the WTA Tokyo and a quarterfinal at Hong Kong it wasn’t enough to help her propel towards her one-time best.
She starts off her season with an opener against her Chinese opponent Wang who herself has gone from 49th in the world her best to her current 98th. And that was a result of an underwhelming 2024 season too in which she finished with a 28-32 win-loss record.
A semifinalist at this tournament last year, she starts off as a bit of a favourite in this encounter with bet365 offering 8/11 for her win but we think Kenin could scoop this.
Kenin v Wang prediction: Kenin to win: 11/10
Madison Keys v Lucia Bronzetti Preview
Head-to-Head: There has been one previous meeting between the 21st-ranked Madison Keys and her 73rd-ranked opponent Lucia Bronzetti and it came at the 2023 United Cup. Keys had won that match in straight sets.
Having made the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, Keys ended her season with appearances at the Canadian Open, US Open, China Open and WTA Wuhan after that.
She didn’t do much of note except to reach the third round at the season’s Grand Slam and as a result of that had fallen from her previous season ending ranking of 12th to her 2024-ending rank of 21st.
Bronzetti has a decent record on hardcourt surfaces too and while she has never been ranked higher than 46th on the WTA charts, she will be looking to catch Keys unawares early in the season.
The Italian woman is coming off a semifinal appearance late last year and while she hasn’t played in this tournament before this, she could make things very difficult for Keys as a result of that confidence.
Madison Keys v Lucia Bronzetti prediction: Three sets in the match: 6/4
Emma Raducanu v Robin Montgomery Preview
Head-to-Head: There have been no previous meetings between Raducanu and Montgomery.
Raducanu resumes her journey back to where she thinks she might belong – i.e. in the top 10 having been there after her triumph at the 2021 US Open.
While Raducanu hasn’t quite been consistent following that performance because of a variety of reasons including injury issues, she did show what she is capable of in what turned out to be a better year in 2024.
After reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, Raducanu made the quarterfinals in Washington and Seoul and finished off the year with three successive wins at the Billie Jean King Cup.
And up against her is a player who has never been a top-100 one before with Montgomery’s best ranking being 105th in the world.
Having featured in the WTA 125 series of events towards the end of the 2024 season, Montgomery struggled to make things happen, not winning successive matches in any of her previous six competitions.
Raducanu should not have too many issues here.
Raducanu v Montgomery prediction: Raducanu to win in straight sets: 4/5
Amanda Anisimova v Alycia Parks Preview
Head-to-Head: World number 36 Anisimova and the 82nd-ranked Parks have never faced off before in a WTA match.
After having achieved early success, Anisimova has seen a drastic fall in her fortunes with fitness concerns being at the core of her issues. The good news for the American is she looks like she is slowly turning the corner.
This can be seen from the manner in which she has moved from 369th in the world at the end of the 2023 season to her current 36th rank. And that has been brought about by a string of solid results last season.
This includes a fourth round appearance at the Australian Open and a runner-up trophy at the Canadian Open where she defeated Anna Kalinskaya, Daria Kasatkina and even Aryna Sabalenka to get to the final.
Across the net is a player who is coming off her third WTA125 title of the previous season, clinching the WTA Angers earlier in December.
Still, once ranked 40th in the world, Parks might not be too happy with her performances at the highest level in all of 2024, something that’s reflected in her ranking of 82nd in the world. Can she put up a fight here?
Anisimova v Parks prediction: Anisimova to win: 7/20
Other Auckland Open 2025 Predictions of the Day
- Yulia Starodubtseva v Jaqueline Cristian: Starodubtseva to win: 3/5
- Hailey Baptiste v Renata Jamrichova: Baptiste to win: 2/5
- Vivian Yang v Elise Mertens: Mertens to win in straight sets: 1/10
- Greet Minnen v Anna-Lena Friedsam: Minnen to win: 9/20
