Predicted Winners in BOLD

Picking the Chalk

[3] Simona Halep (ROU) vs Karin Knapp (ITA) – Knapp is a solid player who got a bad draw.  Halep did not get any favors here either, but the Romanian should advance.

[5] Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs. [Q] Lucie Hradecka (CZE)

[2] Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs [Q] Petra Martic (CRO)

Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) vs. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)

[9] Angelique Kerber (GER) vs Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) – Kerber needs to make something happen in Melbourne as she has a workable draw.

[7] Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) vs. Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) – The pressure of defending points should play no role in this match.

[32] Belinda Bencic (SUI) vs Julia Goerges (GER) – A mild upset

[28] Sabine Lisicki (GER) vs. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) – Her serve needs to be on to make a dent in the draw.

[27] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs Caroline Garcia (FRA) – The veteran should win.

Monica Puig (PUR) vs. [WC] Arina Rodionova (AUS)

[23] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) – This could be the match of the day.

[10] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) vs An-Sophie Mestach (BEL)

[21] Shuai Peng (CHN) vs. [Q] Tatjana Maria (GER)

[14] Sara Errani (ITA) vs. Grace Min (USA)

[WC] Storm Sanders (AUS) vs. Klara Koukalova (CZE)

[31] Zarina Diyas (KAZ) vs. [Q] Urszula Radwanska (POL)

Polona Hercog (SLO) vs. [WC] Qiang Wang (CHN)

Kiki Bertens (NED) vs. [WC] Daria Gavrilova (AUS)

Ana Konjuh (CRO) vs. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK)

Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) vs. Chanelle Scheepers (RSA)

Ying-Ying Duan (CHN) vs. Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA)

[17] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) vs. Carina Witthoeft (GER) – Her backhand is an awesome shot.

Stefanie Voegele (SUI) vs. Pauline Parmentier (FRA)

Roberta Vinci (ITA) vs. Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) – Vinci has variety, but will that be enough?

Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) vs. Annika Beck (GER)

[16] Lucie Safarova (CZE) vs. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)

[22] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) vs. [Q] Evgeniya Rodina (RUS)

[Q] Stephanie Foretz (FRA) vs. Christina McHale (USA) – McHale needs to win this one.

Elena Vesnina (RUS) vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE)

[Q] Alexandra Panova (RUS) vs. Sorana Cirstea (ROU)

[Q] Renata Voracova (CZE) vs. Lara Arruabarrena (ESP)

Alison Riske (USA) vs. [WC] Océane Dodin (FRA)