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Match details
Fixture: (12) Elena Rybakina vs Zhang Shuai
Date: 20 January 2022
Tournament: Australian Open 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $75,000,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Liv
Elena Rybakina vs Zhang Shuai preview
Kazakhstan's 12th seed Elena Rybakina will take on China's Zhang Shuai in the second round of the 2022 Australian Open on Thursday.
The Kazakh started the 2022 season strongly, winning four matches in Adelaide to reach the final, where she lost to World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty.
Rybakina then thrashed 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-0, 6-1 in the first round in Sydney. She retired from her quarterfinal match due to a left thigh injury.
The 22-year-old was pushed to three sets in the first round in Melbourne by compatriot Zarina Diyas but saved a matchpoint en route to victory.
Zhang, meanwhile, has struggled for form of late. The Chinese opened her season with back-to-back defeats against Clara Burel and Anett Kontaveit in Melbourne and Adelaide respectively.
The 32-year-old did, however, pull off a first-round upset at the Australian Open, defeating Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-4.
Elena Rybakina vs Zhang Shuai head-to-head
The second-round encounter in Melbourne will be the third meeting between the two players, with Elena Rybakina leading the head-to-head 2-0.
The Kazakh beat the Chinese in the final in Hobart in 2020, and the quarterfinals in Strasbourg later that year.
Elena Rybakina vs Zhang Shuai prediction
Elena Rybakina comes into the match as the overwhelming favorite. There are very few players on the WTA tour that can match the Kazakh's firepower. Her ability to take the ball early and hit winners off both wings makes her an extremely formidable opponent.
However, Rybakina's lack of consistency and regular lapses in concentration have hurt her in the past. Zhang, who is a proficient player, will look to take advantage of this. The Chinese has a decent serve and her time on the doubles court has improved her net-play.
But if Rybakina can find her rhythm from the back of the court, the Chinese not be able to cope.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in straight sets.
