1. Karolina Pliskova v Timea Bacsinszky (Rome, R1)

This match-up would have barely made an impact last year but Karolina Pliskova and Timea Bacsinszky have been on an absolute tear through 2015.  To demonstrate how much Pliskova and Bacsinszky have improved over the last year, the pair’s only previous meeting was in August last year in Montreal QUALIFYING.  Combined, the pair have won a staggering 48 WTA main draw matches.  Pliskova’s made three finals, winning the International event in Prague on clay and runner-up in two Premier events in Sydney and Dubai.

Bacsinszky has also made three finals all at International events, taking home back-to-back titles in Mexico .  I’m keen to watch both players live this summer on the grass so fingers crossed they might show up in Eastbourne!  It was Bacsinszky who won their only previous match in Canada last year.  Bacsinszky wasn’t so impressive in Marrakech and she had an awful draw in Madrid, getting Maria Sharapova in the first round.  The surface is likely to favour Bacsinszky but Pliskova has proven that she is very capable of securing wins on this surface.  I could see it going either way, but i’d give an edge to Pliskova.

Prediction: Pliskova d. Bacsinszky in 3 sets

*Please note that the Venus Williams v Garbine Muguruza preview has been removed as Muguruza has withdrawn from Rome*

WTA Rome 1st round predictions

Sam Stosur d. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in 2 tight sets

Barbora Strycova d. Christina McHale in 3 sets

Sara Errani d. Daniela Hantuchova in 2 sets

Daria Gavrilova d. Belinda Bencic in 3 sets

Elena Vesnina d. Jarmila Gajdosova in 2 sets

Madison Keys d. Madison Brengle in 2 sets

Victoria Azarenka d. Casey Dellacqua in 2 sets

Irina-Camelia Begu d. Urszula Radwanska in 2 tight sets

Zarina Diyas d. Tsvetana Pironkova in 2 sets

Roberta Vinci d. Heather Watson in 3 sets

Carla Suarez Navarro d. Mona Barthel in 2 sets

Nastassja Burnett d. Magdalena Rybarikova in 2 sets

Francesca Schiavone d. Karin Knapp in 3 tight sets

Kristina Mladenovic d. Monica Puig in 2 tight sets

Alexandra Dulgheru d. Misaki Doi in 3 sets

Lucie Safarova d. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in 3 sets *eek dangerous*

Varvara Lepchenko d. Alison Riske in 2 sets