Clara Tauson vs Victoria Azarenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 17/01/2024, 00:02  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 17/01/2024 at 22:55 in Tennis Predictions

Eighteenth seed Victoria Azarenka and the unseeded Clara Tauson will battle one another in the second round at the Australian Open. The winner will then go on to play either Jelena Ostapenko or Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. Clara Tauson defeated Greet Minnen in straight sets in the first round to mark her second-ever main draw appearance here. She will now hope to equal her best-ever result by advancing to the third round. Tauson is making her first tour-level appearance of the year as she started her season competing in the challenger circuit. She has won four of the five matches she has so far contested and is now up to 89th in the live ranking.

Victoria Azarenka has had more success at this major than at any other in her illustrious career. She is a two-time Australian Open champion and has never lost a second-round tie here. Last season she made it through to the semifinals for the first time since winning her last title in 2013. This may have lit a spark and she will target a possible last hoorah. The Russian former world number one has had a strong start to the year and has so far compiled a 4-1 record. She made the semifinals in Brisbane in her first appearance of the season. Despite this, she has plummeted in the live ranking and is down 11 places to number 33 after losing more than 700 points. Azarenka battled through three sets to defeat Camila Giorgi in the first round.