Bianca Andreescu in her first round-robin match at the 2019 WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China
Bianca Andreescu in her first round-robin match at the 2019 WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China | (Photo by NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Tennis | Australian Open 2021 | Three to See on Day 3

  • Bianca Andreescu [8] v Hsieh Su-Wei
  • Novak Djokovic [1] v Frances Tiafoe
  • Aryna Sabalenka [7] v Daria Kasatkina
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Into the second round of the Australian Open and we pick three matches to see on Day Three.

 

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Bianca Andreescu [8] v Hsieh Su-Wei H2H & Match Fundamentals

Bianca Andreescu [8] v Hsieh Su-Wei H2H: Andreescu leads 1-0
Australian Open Melbourne, Australia
Hard (O) Prize Money: A$150,000
Scheduled first on Rod Laver Arena at 11am (Midnight GMT) Tennis TV/Eurosport Player if available

 

 

Bianca Andreescu, by her own admission, endured a bit of bumpy ride on her way back to form. Since returning with a truly sicking-sounding knee-snap in the WTA Finals in China in 2019, and add a sprinkle of global pandemic, is it any wonder that her opener at the Australian Open was a bit of a challenge.

Getting the job done in three sets leads her into a second round against Hsieh Su-Wei, The Canadian’s aggressive style of play together with the variation she can throw into the mix could be a good match-up with Hsieh who has a very different style of play. Her two-handed forehand and backhand flattens out the ball a lot and she can be very unpredictable.

Prediction: Andreescu in three sets.

 

READ MORE | Tennis | Australian Open 2021 | Latest Schedule, Draws, Results & How to Watch

 

Novak Djokovic [1] v Frances Tiafoe H2H & Match Fundamentals

Embed from Getty Images

Novak Djokovic [1] v Frances Tiafoe H2H: First Meeting
Australian Open Melbourne, Australia
Hard (O) Prize Money: A$150,000
Scheduled third on Rod Laver Arena not before 2pm  (3am GMT) Tennis TV/Eurosport Player if available

 

 

Time to take a first look at surely the overwhelming favourite to lift a record ninth Australian Open title – Novak Djokovic. He was routine in his first round, and takes on Frances Tiafoe, who will have happy memories of reaching the quarter-final in 2019.

All in all, Djokovic’s variety and abilities to get to almost any serve make this quite the challenge for the American, but the Aussies took him to their hearts a couple of years ago, and there is no denying he will give it his all.

His big serve and forehand will put Djokovic’s return skills to good use but the American is also a good returner in his own right and he has the chance to make this competitive.

Prediction: Djokovic in three sets.

 

 

Daria Kasatkina v Aryna Sabalenka [7] H2H & Match Fundamentals

Embed from Getty Images

Daria Kasatkina v Aryna Sabalenka [7] H2H: Tied at 1-1
Australian Open Melbourne, Australia
Hard (O) Prize Money: A$150,000
First on Margaret Court Area at 11am (Midnight, GMT) Tennis TV/Eurosport Player if available

 

 

There is a feeling that Aryna Sabalenka should be making moves in the Slams that reflect the solid performances that she has recently put in on the tour. Admittedly her 15-match run met its match post-quarantine in her opener of the WTA Gippsland Trophy but there have been a fair few screwy results as players came out of quarantine, and her opening win was back to her dominant self.

Daria Kasatkina got the better of Britain’s Katie Boulter – and signalled that she seems to be returning to form after some time wandering in of early exits a coupe of years ago.

This might well be their first encounter to go the distance.

Prediction: Sabalenka in three sets.

 

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