World number 19 Victoria Azarenka will be up against the 38th-ranked Sloane Stephens in the second round of the 2023 WTA Canadian Open on Tuesday, August 8. Get the predictions and odds of this Victoria Azarenka v Sloane Stephens match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Victoria Azarenka v Sloane Stephens Head to Head
This has been a fascinating rivalry which has had nine previous iterations and Azarenka has a minor 5-4 lead.
Their first six meetings came in hardcourt competitions and both players won three. The first three between 2013 and 2015 were won by Azarenka while Stephens levelled things out with wins in her next three matches in 2018.
Then they faced off in three successive matches on clay including two this season and Azarenka leads 2-1 on it.
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Azarenka Routs Linette
Magda Linette had begun the season rather well and even now she is ranked 25th in the world thanks to her performances spread across the year. So while she had begun as the second favourite against the 19th-ranked Azarenka one would have expected her to put up a fight in her opener.
Azarenka did not allow too much of that.
In a match lasting an hour and 37 minutes, Azarenka sent Linette packing 6-3, 6-0.
The first set looked to be going to script as Azarenka broke Linette twice to take a 5-2 lead but just as she was about to serve for the set Linette broke her. That was the only break-point Azarenka would face in the entire match.
That, however, also signalled the last game that Linette would win in the encounter as Azarenka romped through to clinching the next seven games in a row to grab the win and move into the second round here, having missed this tournament last season.
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Stephens Endures Tough Kalinina Challenge
While Azarenka had had it her way from the very beginning in her opener, Stephens struggled through most part of the match and yet, carved out a straight-set win over Anhelina Kalinina.
And to be honest, it could have been anyone’s win in this one as both players struggled to hold their serves. Stephens was broken six times while she overcame Kalinina’s serve on seven occasions in the process.
Up 3-0 in the first set, Stephens dropped her serve for the first time in the fifth game before they traded three breaks of serves to finish off the set.
The second set began with four breaks of serves and then at one point, Stephens had a chance to serve out the match. She lost her serve twice in a row, and when Kalinina could serve it out, she was broken again.
Fortunately for Stephens, she was able to wrap things up in the ensuing tie-breaker with ease to advance to the second round.
It could get tougher against Azarenka.
Azarenka v Stephens Prediction and Tip
Stephens’ serving inconsistencies could come back to bite her against a player like Azarenka and we expect the Belarusian to edge past her opponent here.
Tips:
- Low Risk Tip: Azarenka to win: 4/6
- Moderate Risk Tip: Under 21.5 games in the match: 5/6
The 2023 WTA Canadian Open in Montreal will be played from August 7 to 13. You can get all the tennis betting news with our tennis betting blog here. Also get rest of the tennis match previews here.
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