'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQgQAAICAQUBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRAAUSIVEGBwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABREAAgICAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAREiEUQWH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AMjWYNk+arxWa22I8lGkhi5yE4MjFHb3k4fvJx4BqLW/N9kt14bCloxNGrhO24hhnGSe8aaaUv1K8FyVY1Kjm41yPpjiFE+SiiUBtRqR0B2R8z//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Match details
Fixture: (4) Caroline Garcia vs Leylah Fernandez
Date: January 19, 2023
Tournament: Australian Open 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: A$76,500,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Ten & Sony Liv
Caroline Garcia vs Leylah Fernandez preview
Fourth seed Caroline Garcia and former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will square off on Thursday, with a place in the third round of the 2023 Australian Open up for grabs.
Garcia has come into the first Major of the year on the back of the most consistent season of her career. The Frenchwoman had a slow first half of the 2022 season, mainly due to a foot injury. On her return, she went on a rampage in the second half of the season.
The 29-year-old collected titles at Bad Homburg, Cincinnati and Warsaw before hoisting the biggest trophy of her career at the WTA Finals. Garcia also made the semifinals of the US Open in her best-ever Slam showing in singles.
Garcia commenced the 2023 season with a couple of victories at the United Cup. She then beat Katerina Siniakova at the Adelaide International 2 before losing to eventual champion Belinda Bencic in three sets.
Seeded fourth at the Australian Open 2023, Garcia has made a flying start to her campaign with a strong 6-3, 6-0 win over Katherine Sebov.
All of 20, Leylah Fernandez had her breakthrough run at the 2021 US Open, finishing runner-up to Emma Raducanu. In March last year, the Canadian southpaw went on to successfully defend her Monterrey title.
The youngster had a brilliant Roland Garros campaign, reaching the quarterfinals. However, the joy was short-lived as a Grade-III stress fracture she sustained in Paris kept her out of action for the next couple of months.
Fernandez's only notable result for the rest of the year was a quarterfinal appearance at the WTA 125 event in Tampico, Mexico.
The Canadian has, however, made a good start to the new season. In her only competition of the year before the Australian Open, she reached the quarterfinals in Auckland.
Fernandez has now begun her challenge at the first Major of the year with a commanding 7-5, 6-2 win over French veteran Alize Cornet.
Caroline Garcia vs Leylah Fernandez head-to-head
Garcia and Fernandez have never squared off on the tour before. Hence, their head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Caroline Garcia vs Leylah Fernandez odds
(Odds sourced from Oddschecker)
Caroline Garcia vs Leylah Fernandez prediction
Garcia comes into the contest as the favorite by dint of her world ranking and recently acquired consistency. The Frenchwoman has a good serve and a strong forehand to go with it. Her aggressive approach and flat groundstrokes are well-suited for the pacy Melbourne Park courts. It was evident from the fact that she managed to win 94% of her first-serve points in the first round.
However, Garcia cannot take her opponent lightly in their upcoming match. Fernandez lacks in pace but more than makes up for it by taking the ball early. Her gritty fighting spirit and defensive skills are also big assets. The southpaw will look to extend the rallies and force the Frenchwoman into errors.
But doing it repeatedly against an in-form Garcia could be quite a challenge. The fourth seed currently has truckloads of confidence in her game. With the courts aiding her style of play, she is likely to find a way through to make it into the third round.
Pick: Caroline Garcia to win in three sets.
