Elise Mertens of Belgium, the number seven seed and world number 20, will play Hibi Mayo of Japan currently ranked 182nd in their 2021 WTA Gippsland Trophy second round match on Tuesday, February 8, with the match likely to begin at around 12 pm local time (1.30 am Eastern Time). Get the live streaming options of this Elise Mertens v Hibi Mayo match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
Looking to watch 2021 WTA Gippsland Trophy tennis live streaming online?
- For tennis fans in the UK, Europe, Australia & elsewhere go to bet365 > Tennis > Live Streaming here* to watch & bet on the ATP & WTA tennis live.
- Get all the other WTA Gippsland Trophy 2021 live streaming options here
[the_ad id=”14063″]
*Advertisement. Geo-restrictions apply & pre-funded account needed
Elise Mertens v Hibi Mayo Head to Head
The pair have never met before. This will be the first match between the 25-year-old Belgian, and her Japaneses opponent, who is one year younger.
Also Read:
Mertens Doing Well in Both Singles and Doubles
Mertens has won 5 WTA titles and been in three more finals, but she is also renowned as one of the best doubles players on the circuit, enjoying particular success with Aryna Sabalenka – in 2019, the pair won the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami, and later that year won the US Open.
Their most recent title came in Ostrava last October.
2020 saw Mertens reach two singles finals – The Prague Open, where she lost to Simona Halep, and in Linz, where she was beaten, ironically enough, by Sabalenka. The Belgian also managed to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open for the second successive year, but she was then thrashed by Sofia Kenin, winning just a single game.
Her best result in a Grand Slam came on Australian soil three years ago – she reached the semi-final in 2018in Melbourne before losing to Caroline Wozniaki.
This is her first match of 2021 – she was given a bye in the first round here.
[the_ad id=”30344″]
Hibi Looking Forward to the Australian Open
Japanese player Mayo spends most of her time on the ITF circuit where she has won eight singles and one double’s titles, the most recent of which came in Las Vegas in 2019.
However, she has now qualified for a Grand Slam for only the second time, having previously managed the feat in 2015 where she made the main draw of the US Open, only to lose in the first round.
This time she came through three qualifying matches in the Middle East last month, winning all of them in straight sets. In the first round here in Melbourne, she was drawn against Varvara Lepchenko of the United States, one with almost an identical world ranking as her.
It was a tight contest for two sets. Mayo began well by breaking the American in the opening service game, and, after the pair swapped breaks, Mayo was able to close out the set.
She then broke Lepchenko again early in the second set but, this time, she began to falter. She dropped her own serve and then again, allowing the American to level.
However, in the third set she began to exert some measure of control, and was able to clinch the win on her second match point.
Mertens v Mayo Prediction and Tip
Although Mertens has had less match practice than Mayo in 2021, it is very difficult to envisage anything but a straight sets win for the number seven seed. She should win this encounter with ease.
Tip: Mertens to win: 4/9 (bet365)
[the_ad id=”30513″]
The 2021 WTA Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne will be played from January 31. You can watch & bet on these matches here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
Be the first to comment