The WTA Rome tournament third round begins on Saturday. The WTA Tour is so interesting because the matchups are very balanced in most cases. Aryna Sabalenka is a clear favorite in her third-round match, but many of the other third-round matches are not easy to predict and have a very good chance of going three sets. Which players will remain in good form and which ones will struggle? It’s not easy to answer those questions during a tour with so much parity. LWOS has our best bets for three matches. Post your best bets and thoughts in the comments.
WTA Rome
Townsend – Jovic: Time 11:00 EST
H2H: 1-0
A battle between two Americans is on my list of things to catch in this round. Taylor Townsend will meet Iva Jovic for the first time since 2024, when Townsend easily dispatched the younger American in straight sets. In fact, Townsend only lost three total games in that entire match. Jovic does enter this match as the favorite on the books. Jovic has grown leaps and bounds since their 2024 meeting, and is now inside the top 20 in the World. Townsend is 4-1 on clay this year, but Jovic is 5-2 herself.
Best Bet to Make
Both ladies are having a decent year so far. Townsend is riding a four-match wining streak at Rome, while Jovic is 2-3 in her last five. Even still, the books have Jovic as a favorite by .4-points on average. I think Townsend is a pretty live dog. At 2.2 on several sites, you can win a solid return simply by betting on Townsend to win. If you insist on Jovic, it might be worth it to stick to a 1.76 on Pinnacle for a straight win than playing with spreads or correct scores.
That being said, betting on Townsend winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Townsend winning @2.2 @Betfair
Golubic – Andreeva: Time 11:00 EST
H2H: 0-0
Alongside Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva has been the most consistent threat throughout 2026. Andreeva already has two titles, and she’s been in three finals. In fact, she’s coming off her only final loss of the year to Marta Kostyuk in Madrid. Viktorija Golubic is .500 on the year, though she does have a winning record on clay. She’s been in one final so far this year, an indoor tournament in Oeiras.
Best Bet to Make
This will not be a close match. Andreeva has been one of the most dangerous players on the tour this year, and the books have her as a 20-1 favorite on some books. The average sits at 12.75-1 in favor of Andreeva. Even a correct score bet is going to have a pathetic return. I say take a chance on this one and go with Andreeva +7.5 for a solid return. If you look at Unibet, you’ll get the best return possible for that spread.
That being said, betting on Andreeva +7.5 games is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Andreeva +7.5 games @2.04 @Unibet
Bencic – Kalinskaya: Time 14:30 EST
H2H: 4-0
Belinda Bencic had to smile pretty wide when she saw this draw in the third round. Even though Anna Kalinskaya is No. 24 in the World, she’s 0-4 all-time against Bencic. This will be the first clay match of their rivalry, but it can’t go any worse than her hardcourt and grass record against Bencic.
Best Bet to Make
Belinda Bencic is the 2-1 favorite here for four reasons. In all of their matches, Bencic has only been pushed to a third set one time, and that was back in 2022. Not only is Bencic likely to win this match, but she’s likely to do it fairly quickly. Bencic is 92-51 on clay, while Kalinskaya is 86-60. She has fewer wins and more losses than Bencic, and isn’t playing as well as her either. Don’t overcomplicate this one; take Bencic in straight sets.
That being said, betting on Bencic winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/ the best odds: Bencic winning 2:0 @1.95 @WilliamHill
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports