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Day 3 (Wednesday, July 23) of the Citi DC Open 2025 will mark the start of the second round of women's singles. 45-year-old Venus Williams is hitting all the right notes in her latest comeback. She won her doubles match on Monday, and followed it up with a 6-3, 6-4 win over World No. 35 Peyton Stearns in the first round of singles.
Williams became the second player over the age of 45 years to win a main draw match since Martina Navratilova did the same at Wimbledon 2004 while being 47 years old. Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, Sofia Kenin and Taylor Townsend were among the other big names to win their first-round matches.
As the second round gets underway from Wednesday, here are the predictions for all four singles matches set for Day 3 of the Citi DC Open 2025:
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#1. Emma Navarro vs Maria Sakkari
Sakkari beat Katie Boulter 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round of the Citi DC Open. She improved her record for the season to 14-18 with the win. She will now aim to win back-to-back matches for the first time since the Madrid Open in April.
Navarro received a bye into the second round of the Citi DC Open on account of being the second seed. She has a 24-17 record this year and recently made the fourth round of Wimbledon. She has an 11-7 record on hardcourts, with a title at the Merida Open and a quarterfinal at the Australian Open being her best results.
Sakkari leads their rivalry 2-1. Navarro won their first meeting at the San Diego Open 2023 in three sets but lost their next two, including their most recent contest at the Indian Wells Open 2024.
However, Sakkari isn't the same player she was until a year ago. She has dropped all the way to No. 90 in the rankings and has a 1-9 record against top 20 players this year. As such, Navarro will be favored to come through this clash.
Predicted winner: Emma Navarro
#2. Magda Linette vs Anna Kalinskaya
Linette scored a 7-5, 6-4 win over Danielle Collins to make the second round of the Citi DC Open, while Kalinskaya did the same with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Kamilla Rakhimova. The Pole snapped her three-match losing streak with the win.
Linette improved her record on hardcourts this year to 12-9 with her latest victory. Her best result on the surface this year has been a quarterfinal showing at the Miami Open.
Kalinskaya, meanwhile, has a 5-7 record on hardcourts, and none of her wins have come against players ranked in the top 50. Furthermore, she has registered consecutive wins on hardcourts only once this year. Her results make her the underdog in this match-up, especially when stacked against Linette's record on the surface.
Predicted winner: Magda Linette
#3. Elena Rybakina vs Victoria Mboko
Canadian teenager Mboko beat Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-4 in the first round of the Citi DC Open. It marked her third win over a top 50 player this year. She has also won at least one match in all of her main draw appearances on the WTA Tour this year, making a smooth transition from the ITF circuit to the main tour.
Rybakina was the recipient of a first-round bye as the third seed. She has a 31-13 record this season, with her only title of the year coming on clay. She has compiled a 15-7 record on hardcourts, with her best results being a semifinal finish at the Dubai Tennis Championships followed by fourth-round appearances at the Australian Open and the Indian Wells Open.
This will be the first career meeting between them. Mboko gave a good account of herself in her previous matches against top players, pushing Paula Badosa and Coco Gauff to three sets earlier this year. The teenager could put Rybakina through the wringer as well but the latter's experience should help her prevail in the end.
Predicted winner: Elena Rybakina
#4. Clara Tauson vs Caroline Dolehide
Dolehide came through the qualifying rounds of the Citi DC Open and then beat compatriot McCartney Kessler 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3 in the first round. She improved her record at the main draw level to 11-12 with the win. Tauson, meanwhile, received a first-round bye as the fourth seed. The Dane has a 27-14 record this year, with 17 of those wins coming on hardcourts against six losses.
Tauson won the title in Auckland at the start of the season and finished as the runner-up at the Dubai Tennis Championships. She has a 9-1 record on hardcourts against players ranked outside the 50. Dolehide, on the other hand, has gone 0-5 against top 20 players this year.
Tauson also won the pair's only career meeting at the Miami Open 2024 in three sets. She will be expected to beat Dolehide once again based on their results this year.
Predicted winner: Clara Tauson
