The curtains will close on the last day of 2024, but the action continues at the WTA 500 event in Brisbane on Tuesday. Valuable ranking points and confidence are up for grabs here as some of the top-ranked players look to start their campaigns. LWOT predicts four of the eight WTA Brisbane matches below, including Anna Blinkova vs Mirra Andreeva.

WTA Brisbane Day 3 Predictions

Diana Shnaider vs Anhelina Kalinina

Head-to-Head: First Meeting

Diana Shnaider closed out her 2024 season in flying form, winning the title in her final tournament in Hong Kong, dropping only a set en route, and looks to start her campaign for the 2025 season in a similar shape. The 20 years old Russian announced herself as one of the talents to watch out for and Brisbane offers a great opportunity to restart her journey on her path to development.

Kalinina, on the other hand, saw her fortune turn for the worse near the tail end of the season as she struggled for form and consistency. Her first-round victory over Yafan Wang should give her the much-needed boost to make this into a genuine contest. The Russian should have too much for her Kalinina at present and will progress easily.

Prediction: Shnaider in 2

Marie Bouzkova vs Jelena Ostapenko

Head-to-Head: Bouzkova 1-0 Ostapenko

Marie Bouzkova came through a hard-fought match against the young Australian Talia Gibson in 3 hours in the first round. The hours on court under normal circumstances will be a matter of concern, but at this stage in the season, it should help burn off any rust from the off-season. Bouzkova dominated the match when she faced off against Jelena Ostapenko back in 2019 and should have a lot of confidence she can repeat the same here, as her opponent hasn’t played in any capacity since September.

Ostapenko was riding a four-match losing streak when she ended her season in Guadalajara, but the new season should give her hope for a fresh start. Bouzkova will look to capitalize on her familiarity with the conditions to get the win, and a slow start from Ostapenko will all but guarantee that.

Prediction: Bouzkova in 3

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McCartney Kessler vs Yulia Putinsteva

Head-to-Head: First Meeting

Yulia Putintseva returns to WTA Brisbane for the first time in five years, reaching the second round in 2020 after a strong qualifying run. Now a top-30 player, the 29-year-old is coming off a successful 2023 season, highlighted by a title in Birmingham and consistent deep runs in WTA and Slam events.

Her opponent, McCartney Kessler, is a rising star who started 2023 outside the top 900 but claimed her first WTA title in Cleveland. The 25-year-old opened her Brisbane campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 upset of World No. 38 Magda Linette, earning her fourth top-50 win. This first-time matchup pits Kessler’s momentum against Putintseva’s experience, with the veteran Kazakh a tough test for the young American.

Prediction: Putinsteva in 3

Anna Blinkova vs Mirra Andreeva

Head-to-Head: First Meeting

Anna Blinkova overcame 18-year-old Sara Bejlek, 6-1, 7-6, to reach the second round in Brisbane. The former World No. 35 looks to rebound from a challenging 2023 season that included a 10-match losing streak, a title at W100 Macon, and limited WTA success with just two quarterfinals. Her opponent, Mirra Andreeva, returns to WTA Brisbane with confidence after reaching her first WTA quarterfinal here last year.

The 17-year-old phenom built on that success with seven more quarterfinals in 2024, including in Madrid, Roland Garros, and Cincinnati, and won her first WTA title in Lasi. Now ranked No. 16, Andreeva is the tournament’s eighth seed. She will go into this match, the overwhelming favorite, and should have too much for her compatriot.

Prediction: Andreeva in 2

Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch – USA TODAY Sports