Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally Prediction 9/16/2025 Today’s Tennis Picks

Diana Shnaider and Caty McNally meet in the first round of the 2025 Seoul Open. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16. Here’s our Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally prediction. This preview will also include a Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally pick.

Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally Preview

Diana Shnaider is the 5th seed at the Seoul Open this week. The Russian lefty is competing in her second main draw in this tournament. Shnaider reached the semifinals last year and lost to Daria Kasatkina. Overall, Shnaider has played some of her best tennis in Asia. She reached her first WTA final on this continent and has two career titles on Asian soil.

Shnaider is ranked 19th in the WTA rankings and is 23-20 for the season. While she hasn’t quite hit last season’s numbers, Shnaider managed to bag a title at the Monterrey Open in Mexico on a hard court just before the US Open. But the short turnaround proved problematic for Shnaider, who never fully recovered and was beaten in the opening round in New York. This will be her first tournament since that shock loss to Laura Siegemund.

Caty McNally is back in the Top 100. The American is ranked 94th in the WTA rankings, having returned to full-time competition this season after an injury-riddled 2024. McNally is an impressive 42-16 in 2025, thanks largely to an outstanding season on the ITF and the 125K level, bagging at least one title in both levels. 

McNally has won 11 of her past 14 matches on hard courts, losing only to fellow Americans Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, and McCartney Kessler in that time. She played two qualifying matches last weekend in Seoul and qualified for the main draw without dropping a set. This will be her first appearance in Seoul.

Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally Head-To-Head

Shnaider and McNally have never met at any level.

Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally Prediction

There could be some sneaky value on McNally here, as she is the player in form. She’s won 11 of her last 14 matches, although it can be argued that none of the players she’s beaten match up to Shnaider’s firepower. The Russian is streaky, though, and this is probably the likeliest round that Shnaider could be caught off guard. McNally can neutralize that heavy pace by mixing it up, and I don’t think this is a straightforward match for the fifth seed.