23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams will kick-start her new year’s campaign with a match against Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the 2021 Adelaide Exhibition on Friday, January 29. The match is likely to begin at around 3 pm local time (4.30 am BST or 10.30 pm Eastern Time previous day). Get the live streaming options of this Serena Williams v Naomi Osaka match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Serena Williams v Naomi Osaka Head to Head
There have been three matches between Serena and Osaka before this and the Japanese world number three holds a 2-1 advantage over the American.
It started with a first round upset at the 2018 Miami Open when Osaka crushed Serena 6-3, 6-2 before she made it 2-0 by winning probably the biggest match of her career at the final of the US Open that season, in what was an ill-contested match.
Serena got one back at the Rogers Cup in 2019 by beating Osaka in straight sets in the quarterfinal stage.
Also Read:
Serena Resumes Quest for Elusive Grand Slam
There is obviously the grand prize on Serena’s mind when she takes to court for this exhibition competition and that is to win her elusive 24th Grand Slam title. And in times affected by the pandemic, featuring in a controlled exhibition tournament before the season’s first WTA tournament is a good way to get the muscles loose and rhythm going.
Serena, after all, hasn’t been playing too much tennis and having bowed out of the French Open without lifting her racquet in the second round because of an Achilles Heel injury, she will be on court for the first time since September.
The American had had a good start to the season last year when she won the Auckland Open competition but a third round at the Australian Open would have hurt. Following the return to tennis after the pandemic break, Serena failed to survive the Maria Sakkari challenge at the ‘Cincinnati’ Open and while she looked at her best for most part at the US Open, she fell away in the semifinal there to Victoria Azarenka.
A solid showing against Osaka, irrespective of the result, should help make the necessary pre-season tweaks to her game.
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Osaka Coming off a Third Grand Slam Title
Off the court, Osaka made headlines in 2020 by providing support to the BLM movement in her own way and topped it with a solid showing in the only two tournaments she featured in after the pandemic break.
Joining the circuit at the Cincinnati Open last year, Osaka made it to the final there before having to withdraw a few hours before that match against Victoria Azarenka because of a hamstring injury.
She began slowly at the US Open as a result of that injury but once she found her mojo, Osaka came through some tough matches to lift the title for the second time in three years.
Osaka had earlier played in Brisbane and at the Australian Open but underwhelmed with her performances which might have made critics question her hunger. She answered that in style later but opted out of the rest of the season after the US Open victory because of fitness issues.
Like Serena, this match will give Osaka a good chance to test her fitness as well.
Serena v Osaka Prediction and Tip
There is no telling how these two are feeling with respect to their respective injuries, which is why it is tough to call a winner. Expecting some sort of a fight though and for the match to have three sets.
Tip: Three sets in the match: 6/4 (bet365)
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The 2021 A Day at the Drive will be played on January 29. You can watch all these matches with Channel Nine in Australia or live stream it with 9Now there. In the UK, these matches will be broadcast live on Eurosport Player. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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