Elena Rybakina vs Victoria Azarenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 24/01/2023, 16:37  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 24/01/2023 at 17:38 in Tennis Predictions

Elena Rybakina may be the 22nd seed at the Australian Open but she's the second highest left in the draw. In this semi-final, the Wimbledon champion takes on two-time Australian champ Victoria Azarenka, who is seeded 24th. Rybakina hasn't really set the world alight since she won the Wimbledon title last summer. Only one ATP 250 title has been won since then and only one of her three warm-up matches were won. The form of the world number 25 has gone up a few gears in Melbourne. Rybakina is up to 12th in the live rankings and a win over Azarenka will move her up to tenth. Just one set has been lost by her in this tournament. The last two rounds have produced wins over world number one Iga Swiatek and Jelena Ostpenko.

Elena Rybakina was only a teenager when Victoria Azarenka won the second of her Australian Open titles. Just two quarter finals have been reached in Melbourne since then but at last Azarenka has got to the last four. A win here will take her into only her second Grand Slam final since the US Open in 2013, the other also being in New York three years ago. This tournament began with Azarenka ranked 24th but she's now up to 16th and reaching the final will see her climb up to 11th. Two warm-up tournaments were played by Azarenka earlier this month. The best performance was a last eight in the first of the two Adelaide tournaments. A loss to a player outside the top 100 couldn't have helped her confidence. It's all changed in the Australian Open though with her wins including a three-set victory over 10th seed Madison Keys and in the last eight, beating third-seed Jessica Pegula for the loss of only five games. Azarenka has only had one previous match against her opponent and it was Rybakina who got the win at Indian Wells last year for the loss of seven games. Another win for Rybakina looks possible here.