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Match details
Fixture: (18) Leylah Fernandez vs Amanda Anisimova.
Date: 12 March 2022.
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open.
Round: Second round (Round of 64).
Venue: Indian Wells, USA.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Hardcourt.
Prize money: $8,369,455.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Leylah Fernandez vs Amanda Anisimova preview
2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez will square off against home favorite Amanda Anisimova in the second round of the 2022 Indian Wells Open on Saturday.
Fernandez's start to the year wasn't ideal, as she made early exits from the Adelaide International and the Australian Open. However, the young Canadian turned her season around with a successful title defense in Monterrey last week.
Fernandez's run to her second career title wasn't easy. She was thoroughly tested by Qinwen Zheng in the second round, but squeezed past her in a third set tie-break. Wang Qiang challenged her in the quarterfinals, but the teenager won in two tight sets.
Fernandez was up against Camila Osorio in the title round. She lost the opening set, but raised her level to win the next one. In the deciding set, the Canadian saved five championship points before clinching the title.
Amanda Anisimova won her second career title at the Melbourne Summer Set at the beginning of the year. At the Australian Open, she knocked out defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round after saving a couple of match points. The American lost to World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in the next round.
The Middle East swing wasn't as successful for Anisimova. She fell in the first round of qualifying in Dubai, while Jelena Ostapenko got the better of her in the second round in Qatar.
Prior to the start of the 2022 Indian Wells Open, the Tie Break Tens, an exhibition event, was held at the venue. Anisimova won the tournament by defeating Osaka, Paula Badosa and Maria Sakkari.
She faced Emma Navarro in the first round of the WTA 1000 event and won 6-2, 6-2 without breaking a sweat.
Leylah Fernandez vs Amanda Anisimova head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between the two players, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Leylah Fernandez vs Amanda Anisimova prediction
Fernandez seems to have found her groove after a slow start to the year. Winning the title in Monterrey will have further boosted her confidence. In contrast, Anisimova started the year strong, but has lost some of her momentum.
The American put on a clinic during her opener, as she didn't face a single break point. However, against an opponent who primarily competes on the ITF circuit, she was expected to put up a dominant performance.
Anisimova is a big hitter who moves extremely well across the court. She's got a strong serve and often puts her opponents under pressure with swift returns.
While Fernandez might fall short on raw power, she's still able to go toe-to-toe with the big hitters on tour. She's got some wheels on her and is able to switch from defense to offense in a heartbeat.
Fernandez has her work cut out for her, but she has defeated plenty of top-ranked players in the past, especially during her 2021 US Open run. It's likely to be an evenly contested battle, but the teenager should be able to squeeze past her opponent.
Prediction: Leylah Fernandez to win in three sets.
