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Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has lost far too many Grand Slam quarter-finals in her long career and is looking for some redemption at the 2020 Australian Open.
The Russian is looking more determined than ever heading into to her match-up against former no. 1 player Garbiñe Muguruza, who despite recent struggles has shown some real character this past week.
This will be the sixth career meeting between the two women, with the numbers stacked firmly in favour of Muguruza. The two-time Grand Slam winner has dropped just two sets against her opponent in all of their previous meetings.
Add the experience of Conchita Martinez to those numbers and you have yourself a winner in add departments. Muguruza reunited with her former coach at the end of the last season following a prolonged poor phase and the results have begun to flow already.
The 2020 season has seen the Muguruza of the heyday, with her groundstrokes being sharp and her footwork as aggressive as the time when she was winning all those major titles.
It is in that light that one has to scrutinize the decision to part ways with Martinez in the first place, but that might be a debate for another day. Right now, the duo has their hands full with an on-song Russian in Pavlyuchenkova.
The Russian has an edge when it comes to raw power and ability to change direction of the ball. Pavlyuchenkova plays a very technically sound game and Muguruza could have trouble of she is dictating the exchanges.
The Spaniard will have to be extra sharp off the ground, moving quickly and adjusting her footwork to really take on the ball early and give Pavlyuchenkova no time to think or time her shots.
Muguruza has won big matches before and the many quarter-final losses will start to weigh in on Pavlyuchenkova, so if the Spaniard can maintain pressure on her opponent, she might have a chance. If she lets up the intensity ever for a short period, Pavlyuchenkova will be all over her.
Prediction: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to win in three sets
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