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Match details
Fixture: (13) Victoria Azarenka vs Astra Sharma
Date: 12 March 2022
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Indian Wells, California, USA
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $8,369,455
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Victoria Azarenka vs Astra Sharma preview
The second round of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open will see Victoria Azarenka take on Astra Sharma in an exciting match on Saturday.
Azarenka, the 13th seed, has had plenty of success in Indian Wells and comes into the tournament defending her finalist points from the last edition. She has made early exits in her last couple of main-draw appearances and will be keen to return to winning ways.
Sharma, for her part, has already played three matches at this year's tournament. The Australian lost to Viktoriya Tomova in the final round of qualification, but was given a lucky loser entry into the main draw.
The 26-year-old made the most of her second chance, ekeing out a tight two-set win over Magda Linette to register just her second win at the WTA 1000 level.
Victoria Azarenka vs Astra Sharma head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between Azarenka and Sharma, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Victoria Azarenka vs Astra Sharma prediction
Azarenka's past record at Indian Wells as a two-time champion will give her plenty of confidence coming into the tournament despite her recent form being poor.
She will still need to be wary of the big-hitting Astra Sharma, who will enter the contest without any expectations. The Australian possesses a few weapons, including a big serve, and could cause a few problems for Azarenka.
The former champion, for her part, enjoys slugging it out from the back of the court and is capable of wearing down almost any opponent from the baseline.
The second-round encounter will pit Azarenka's consistent ball-striking against Sharma's raw power. The Australian is prone to occasional lapses in concentration. Against an unrelenting opponent in Azarenka, that could prove to be costly. In the process of trying to end points quickly, the Aussie might leak unforced errors.
Prediction: Victoria Azarenka to win in straight sets
