Tuesday tennis acca: Andorra and Argentina Open first round picks

The Creand Andorra Open and IEB+ Argentina Open keep the WTA rolling into the last days of November.

The Poliesportiu d'Andorra indoor arena hosts the Andorra Open this week, while the Argentina Open lights up the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club's clay courts.

Here, we make a handful of picks from the matches currently slated for Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

 

WTA Andorra: Tereza Martincova vs Jessika Ponchet | Pick: Martincova

WTA Andorra: Timea Babos vs Heather Watson | Pick: Watson

WTA Andorra: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva vs Clara Tauson | Pick: Tauson

WTA Andorra: Zeynep Sonmez vs Ella Seidel | Pick: Sonmez

WTA Buenos Aires: Martina Capurro Taborda vs Elizabeth Mandlik | Pick: Taborda

WTA Buenos Aires: Renata Zarazua vs Eva Vedder | Pick: Zarazua

WTA Buenos Aires: Robin Montgomery vs Sara Errani | Pick: Errani

WTA Buenos Aires: Valentini Grammatikopoulou vs Ipek Oz | Pick: Oz

 

WTA Andorra: Tereza Martincova vs Jessika Ponchet

In four meetings, Jessika Ponchet has failed to take a set off Tereza Martincova, who has swept to victory in two full WTA Tour meetings and clashes at the W80 and W60 level.

To her credit, Ponchet has forced opening set tiebreaks in both their meetings in 2023.

However, on both of those occasions, Ponchet lost the tiebreak and then gave up the second set 6-3.

Being beaten twice in identical fashion by this player will dent Ponchet's confidence heading into this one.

 

WTA Andorra: Timea Babos vs Heather Watson

Timea Babos has beaten Heather Watson in their last two meetings, but the Brit will have an edge in Andorra.

Watson has played six matches indoors this season, while Babos will play her first on Tuesday.

While Watson holds an overall 3-2 lead over Babos although that includes a Fed Cup win over the Israeli.

Babos hasn't played for a month and might have hoped for a better draw than facing a player she has already met five times.

 

WTA Andorra: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva vs Clara Tauson

Andorran native Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva gets a chance to give her young career a big shot in the arm with a win over a top 100 player.

Tauson has enjoyed a far better season than her first round opponent and is the clear favourite for this first meeting between these two players.

The Dane was nursing an injury, but Tauson has indicated that she has the all clear to compete and is feeling good.

Playing a home player can be tricky, but Tauson should have the quality to prevail in the first round clash.

 

WTA Andorra: Zeynep Sonmez vs Ella Seidel

Another first-time meeting sees Zeynep Sonmez meet Ella Seidel in their maiden WTA clash.

Sonmez may only be 21, but she has played more than double the number of professional matches Seidel has managed, having made her WTA Tour debut in 2017.

Turkiye's Sonmez has enjoyed her busiest, if not most successful, season in 2023 and has momentum on her side.

Although Seidel also comes into this tournament, having won in her last outing in the W60 event in Bratislava.

 

WTA Buenos Aires: Martina Capurro Taborda vs Elizabeth Mandlik

Martina Capurro Taborda upset Elizabeth Mandlik just last week on the clay of Florianopolis and looks great value to do it again.

Taborda fell just one win short of claiming the title in the hometown of a former king of clay, Gustavo Kuerten.

Back at home, Taborda has shown herself to be a force on clay this season at all levels.

Few players can match her for number of wins on the surface, and after her run to the final last week, Taborda looks well set to thrill Buenos Aires.

 

WTA Buenos Aires: Renata Zarazua vs Eva Vedder

Renata Zarazua was another woman who impressed in Florianopolis with a run to the last four.

Zarazua would be denied by eventual champion Ajla Tomljanovic when she was clearly overpowered.

Eva Vedder is unlikely to pose the same kind of threat, and Zarazua's natural game will come to the fore.

This will be the first meeting between Zarazua and Vedder at any level in singles.

 

WTA Buenos Aires: Robin Montgomery vs Sara Errani

An inter-generational clash sees veteran Sara Errani face off with WTA Tour prospect Robin Montgomery.

Errani will need all her experience to subdue Montgomery and will be out to bounce back from a disappointing effort last week.

Montgomery is playing for the first time since her mid-September exit from the Guadalajara Open.

Errani has struggled for form but will want to impose herself on this match early on to stay on top.

 

WTA Buenos Aires: Valentini Grammatikopoulou vs Ipek Oz

Valentini Grammatikopoulou and Ipek Oz have split their two previous meetings. Still, the latter came out on top the last time they met, which was also on South American clay.

Oz defeated Grammatikopoulou in qualifying in Bogota in April 2022, avenging a W60 loss in Amstelveen the previous July.

Oz got a big win over Anna Bondar last week only to run into unstoppable force Tomljanovic in the second round.

Grammatikopoulou arrived in Argentina just a few days ago, having last played in Valencia, and could struggle to get onto the right level.