The Women’s Australian Open continues into the second round. Damien Kayat previews Caroline Wozniacki vs Maria Timofeeva as well as second seed Aryna Sabalenka’s match against Brenda Fruhvirtova.
17 January 2024
Caroline Wozniacki 32/100 | Maria Timofeeva 23/10
This looks like it could be a fascinating second-round clash. Comeback queen Caroline Wozniacki is certainly no stranger to success in Australia, winning her one and only Grand Slam title at the 2018 Aussie Open.
She has actually really impressed me since returning to competitive tennis, reaching the fourth round of last year’s US Open only to be outdone by eventual champion Coco Gauff in three sets. She came into this year’s Aussie Open with very little tennis under her belt and I felt that Magda Linette could pose the Dane some real issues in her opener.
But Wozniacki weathered an early barrage and went on to win the match pretty comfortably. Her double-handed backhand looks particularly potent and she will feel quietly confident going into this match. A defensive baseliner by nature, Wozniacki relies on her athleticism to wear opponents down.
I thought the time away from action may have affected her mobility. But she actually looks nimble and reinvigorated out there.
20-year-old Maria Timofeeva picked up a lovely upset victory in her opener, taking down the vastly experienced Alize Cornet in straight sets. This could prove to be a vital year in the career of Timofeeva. She broke through in a big way last season, claiming her maiden WTA title in Budapest. But she was pretty erratic throughout the rest of the campaign.
She really steamrolled her way through Aussie Open qualifying, dropping just one set against the trio of Astakhova, Sharma and Hon. And she projected real authority against Cornet, using that double-handed backhand to keep the Frenchwoman perpetually pegged back.
She will likely be the aggressor in this match and it will be interesting to see just how she approaches this match. I think she should try to exploit Wozniacki’s understandable rustiness by playing positive, first-strike tennis.
Verdict: Wozniacki to win in three at 3/1
This will be the first career meeting between these two. I think that Timofeeva has probably benefitted from coming through qualifying. She looks battle-hardened and I think she will be a tough nut to crack. However, I still think the Dane will have too much quality over the course of three sets.
Aryna Sabalenka (2) vs Brenda Fruhvirtova *betting tba
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will be facing Czech teenage sensation Brenda Fruhvirtova in the next round. The Belarusian extended her Aussie Open winning streak to eight matches with a devastating demolition of German qualifier Ella Seidel.
Sabalenka hit a stunning 20 winners in what was a true statement of intent from the World No.2. She started the season in pretty solid fashion, finishing runner-up to Rybakina in Brisbane. But I think she will have been slightly perturbed with the way the Kazakh demolished her in the championship match.
However, these courts are almost custom-made for Sabalenka. They are speedy and allow her to dominate with her big-serving and flat groundstrokes. She also seems unfazed by the extreme Melbourne heat and she is looking very ominous this year.
Czech teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova has been making some real waves on the ITF circuit over the past few years. Younger sister to Linda Fruhvirtova, Brenda has won all 15 of her ITF finals to date. She moves well on the baseline and hits the ball really powerfully for someone who is only 16 years of age.
She recently partnered with former Olympic gold medalist Nicolas Massu and it seems like that partnership is already reaping some benefits. She won a match at the ASB Classic before running into an inspired Coco Gauff. She then moved serenely through Aussie Open qualifying, securing a main-draw berth and going on to win her maiden Grand Slam match against Ana Bogdan.
Verdict: Sabalenka to win in straight sets
This will be the first career meeting between these two. Sabalenka will do well not to underestimate the canny Czech teenager. But I think she is simply too powerful to bet against on these surfaces. She will bludgeon Fruhvirtova into submission with her awe-inspiring groundstrokes.
