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The Monterrey Open first round brings an intriguing matchup between Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and American Alycia Parks. Both players arrive with something to prove, but only one will earn the right to face top seed Emma Navarro in the next round.Bucsa Riding Qualifying Momentum
Cristina Bucsa heads into the main draw with confidence after a flawless qualifying campaign. She won both of her matches in straight sets, never conceding more than five games in a single contest. Her victory over Kayla Cross sealed her place in the tournament, marking a strong start to her Monterrey debut.
Despite an uneven season—where she has managed just two wins from her last six outings—Bucsa seems to be finding rhythm at the right time. The 27-year-old carries a 23–24 record in 2025 and currently sits 93rd in the live WTA rankings. With over 110 career wins on hard courts, the Spaniard’s experience on this surface could give her the upper hand.
Parks Searching for a Breakthrough
On the other side of the net, Alycia Parks will look to reverse a difficult stretch of results. The 24-year-old has won only 14 matches from 34 appearances this year and has endured ten first-round exits in 2025 alone. Her most recent outing was a disappointing opening-round defeat in Cincinnati, extending her losing streak to three matches.
Ranked 72nd in the live standings, Parks is desperate to rediscover the form that once saw her tipped as one of the rising stars of American tennis. She does, however, hold a psychological edge over Bucsa, having won both of their previous encounters. While those matches came more than two seasons ago, the head-to-head record will give her belief she can turn her fortunes around in Monterrey.
Odds, Form, and Key Factors
Bookmakers view this clash as closely contested, but Bucsa holds a slight edge. Bet365 gives the Spaniard a 53.61% chance of victory with odds of 1.57, while Betway lists Parks at 46.39% with odds of 2.6.
Form trends suggest Bucsa may be the steadier of the two. She has built momentum with two convincing wins in qualifying, while Parks has lost eight of her last ten matches and continues to struggle under pressure in opening rounds.
Prediction
Both players arrive with inconsistencies, which could lead to a scrappy, hard-fought encounter. Parks’ record against Bucsa cannot be dismissed, but her current slump makes this a difficult challenge. Bucsa’s sharper form in qualifying, combined with her proven resilience on hard courts, gives her a narrow edge to progress.
Prediction: Cristina Bucsa to win the match.
