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Match Details
Fixture: (5) Maria Sakkari vs (24) Victoria Azarenka
Date: May 13, 2024
Tournament: Italian Open 2024
Round: Fourth Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $5,509,771
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka preview
World No. 8 Maria Sakkari will lock horns with two-time Major champion Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round of the 2024 Italian Open on Monday.
Sakkari eased past Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-2 to make the third round, where last year's runner-up in Rome, Anhelina Kalinina, awaited her. The Greek overcame a break deficit to get back on serve in the first set.
Sakkari held three set points on Kalinina's serve at 6-5 but the latter eked out a hold of serve to force a tie-break. The Greek got the better of her to claim the set. She dominated her opponent in the second set as she dished out a bagel to wrap up a 7-6 (4), 6-0 win.
Azarenka fought back from a set down to beat Magda Linette 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the second round. She next took on Mayar Sherif for a spot in the fourth round. Even though the Belarusian lost her serve twice in the first set, she broke her opponent's serve four times as well to take the set.
Azarenka rallied from 4-0 down in the second set and even saved a set point as she pushed the set to a tie-break. Sherif held her nerve in it to clinch the set and level the match.
Azarenka blew her lead twice in the decider as Sherif remained hot on her tail. The Belarusian snagged another break to go 5-3 up and then served out the match for a 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 win.
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka head-to-head
Azarenka leads Sakkari 2-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2021 Canadian Open in three sets.
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Maria Sakkari vs Victoria Azarenka prediction
Azarenka fought admirably to edge past Sherif in the previous round. However, with the match lasting for close to three hours and no day of rest in between, she could find it tough to play at a similar level against Sakkari.
Sakkari was tested by Kalinina in the first set but kept her cool to snatch the set from her opponent. She cleaned up her act and outfoxed her opponent in the second set to make the fourth round here for the third straight year.
Azarenka has won both of her previous matches against Sakkari, though those encounters were on hardcourts. The Greek is likely to have a better shot at victory on clay and has performed quite well on the surface in recent years.
Additionally, Azarenka hasn't beaten a top-10 player on clay since 2020. This makes Sakkari the favorite to finally nab her first win over the former World No. 1.
Pick: Maria Sakkari to win in three sets.
