Magda Linette vs Aryna Sabalenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 25/01/2023, 08:59  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 25/01/2023 at 21:35 in Tennis Predictions

Fifth seeded Aryna Sabalenka bids to end the run of unseeded Magda Linette in this Australian Open semi-final. Neither player has made it to the final of a Grand Slam event  and the winner will take on either Victoria Azarenka or Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka is the highest seed left in this tournament and the only one of the top 21 seeds remaining in another surprising women's singles tournament. The Belarusian began thsis tournament ranked fifth but is up to fourth in the live rankings and winning this semi-final will take her to a career-equalling second. Already this year Sabalenka has won the first of the Adelaide International tournaments and is currently top of the live WTA Race. This is her fourth Grand Slam semi-final but all of the previous three have ended in defeat. Five wins have followed in this Australian Open and without a set being dropped. All nine of her singles matches this year have been won in sraight sets. Both of her previous matches against Magda Linette have been won and with only seven games being lost. The most recent meeting was in the Summer Olympics tournament two years ago.

We were expecting a Polish player to reach the last four of this Australian Open. However, it was world number one, not Magda Linette who we thought would make the semi-finals. Before this tournament, Linette had never managed to get past the third round of a Grand Slam and she's been playing them since 2011. Good form was shown earlier this month wth three wins out of four in the United Cup. That form has again been shown in Melbourne with four seeds being beaten to date. Wins have come over Anett Kontaveit, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Caroline Garcia and Karolina Pliskova. This run to the last four has seen her ranking climb from 45th to 22nd and a win over Sabalenka will see her rise to 13th. It's the fifth seed who we think can win this match in straight sets.