Aryna Sabalenka vs Victoria Azarenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Washington Citi Open

Prediction published on 02/08/2024, 07:08  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 02/08/2024 at 07:11 in Tennis Predictions

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will play sixth seed Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-finals of this year’s Washington Open. This will be their sixth career meeting and the winner will face Robin Montgomery or Marie Bouzkova for a place in the championship match. Here’s a look at their records coming into this match and a prediction.

Sabalenka has won the last three meetings with Azarenka. The last two were on hard courts with the most recent success being in Brisbane back in January. As she has once again been in superb form, the Belarussian, who has defeated Azarenka four times, will be confident of victory here.

The current world number three, returning to DC after seven years, began her campaign against qualifier Kamila Rakhimova. She won in three sets to improve her record to 31-9. This year’s Australian Open winner has registered 15 of her wins on hard courts.

Victoria Azarenka is also having a dominant year on hard courts and has claimed 16 wins in 21 outings on the surface. This run has yielded two of her three semi-final finishes this year. Now she is one win away from another.

Azarenka, on her third successive appearance in DC, defeated Wang Yafan in three sets to advance to this round. The win was her 26th in 37 outings this year. It moved her one place to 19th in the live ranking. Azarenka has struggled in her encounters with Sabalenka which have mostly been played in North America.

Her sole win came in her run to the final at the US Open in 2020. A similar outcome here will see the 35-year-old end a three-year wait for a tour final appearance.