US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka plays veteran American Venus Williams in the first round of the 2020 Italian Open on Tuesday, September 15. The match begins at around 3 pm local time (2 pm BST). Get the live streaming options of this Victoria Azarenka v Venus Williams match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Victoria Azarenka v Venus Williams Head to Head
This will be the ninth meeting between the two players, with Williams leading the head-to-head 6-2.
Incidentally, they met last month at the Top Seed Open and Williams prevailed in straight sets. Their only meeting on clay was at the Madrid Open 1000 in 2015, which Azarenka won in straight sets. All other meetings have been on the hard courts.
Also Read:
Azarenka Looking to Continue US Hard Court Form
Former world number one Victoria Azarenka returned to the tour in 2019, after a difficult few years with child custody issues, among others. Although her return was on and off, and there were rumors of her ending her career, the Belarus native fought relentlessly and the last few weeks have truly evidenced that she is back on the tour as a force to reckon with.
It has been a phenomenal last three weeks for Azarenka.
After losing to Venus Williams convincingly at the Top Seed Open, she won the Western & Southern Open after she got a walkover in the final from Naomi Osaka, following a week of strong showings.
Another strong fortnight of tennis followed at the US Open, with her being a finalist, defeating old rival Serena Williams en route. In a tight three-set final, Azarenka narrowly lost out to Naomi Osaka, but outdid all expectations to be runner-up at a major again.
The US Open finalist returns to the clay and will hope to rekindle the form that saw her make the French Open semi-finals in 2013.
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Venus Hoping To Get Season Back On Track
At the age of forty, the seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams is truly in the twilight of her career, and this may well be one of the last clay court swings of her career.
Over the last two-and-a-half decades Venus Williams has been a genius at work, who has impressed the tennis world with her power, strength and skills. Although for the last couple seasons she has looked like fading into the dark, she somehow seems to find a way to display brilliance and provide reason to belief that she still has plenty to offer.
So far in 2020, the older Williams sister has a 1-6 record, with her only victory coming earlier in August against Azarenka at the Top Seed Open.
She was defeated by sister Serena in an engaging three-setter in the second round of the Lexington tournament. At the Western & Southern Open, Venus failed to capitalize on a one-set lead to go down against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the first round. Coming into the US Open, she was defeated by 20th seed Karolina Muchova in straight sets in the opener.
While clay has not been her preferred surface, she will be looking to use the confidence from her win last month against Azarenka, to get back to some semblance of the form that saw her reach the French Open finals almost 20 years ago now.
Azarenka v Williams Prediction & Tip
Although William has the superior head-to-head and won against Azarenka last month, the US Open runner-up from Belarus, starts as a strong favorite. Azarenka has had a good run of form in New York and if she recovers well from the fatigue and the travel, she should prevail in straight sets.
Tip: Azarenka in straight sets: 6/5 (bet365)
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The Italian Open 2020 will be played from September 14 to September 20. You can watch & bet on the Italian Open here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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