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Match Details
Fixture: (23) Victoria Azarenka vs Tatjana Maria
Date: Thursday, April 25
Time: TBD
Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open
Round: Second Round
Venue: La Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Clay (Outdoor)
Prize Money: $7,877,020
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+
Victoria Azarenka vs Tatjana Maria preview
Twenty-third seed Victoria Azarenka will kick off her campaign in Madrid in a battle of the veterans against Tatjana Maria in round two on Thursday, April 25.
The 34-year-old Azarenka kicked off her 21st season on tour with a semi-final run at the Brisbane International. She defeated the likes of Anna Kalinskaya and Jelena Ostapenko before falling to compatriot Aryna Sabalenka. Seeded 16th going into the Australian Open, an event she has won twice in the past, Azarenka reached the fourth round where she was shocked by Dayana Yastremska 7-6 (6), 6-4.
Azarenka reached the last eight in Qatar but lost to top seed Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-0. She put behind a couple of disappointing defeats with a splendid run to the last four in Miami. She put up a brave fight against fourth seed Elena Rybakina but ultimately lost in a tight three-setter.
She kicked off her clay court campaign in Charleston, beating Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Taylor Townsend in rounds two and three before losing in the quarter-finals to top seed Jessica Pegula with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7) scoreline.
Tatjana Maria, on the other hand, is also going strong at 36, with a 10-12 W/L record this season. She reached the second round at the Australian Open but was beaten in straight sets by Jasmine Paolini.
Seeded second at the Bogota Open, Maria reached the last eight where she lost to Camila Osorio despite winning the first set.
She kicked off her campaign in Madrid against American youngster Peyton Stearns. She recouped well after dropping a tight opening set in the breaker to ultimately come through 6-7 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (5). She held her nerve incredibly well in the last set to close it out in another breaker.
Victoria Azarenka vs Tatjana Maria head-to-head
Despite playing on the tour for twenty years plus, the pair have only met once in the past in Acapulco way back in 2019. Azarenka brushed aside Maria in that encounter to claim a 6-2, 6-1 win.
Victoria Azarenka vs Tatjana Maria odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Victoria Azarenka vs Tatjana Maria prediction
Tatjana Maria did very well to survive her opener, but will not be as lucky in her encounter against Victoria Azarenka if she is to play the same way.
Azarenka on the other showed glimpses of good form in her Charleston opener but wasn't at her best in the following two rounds. Both matches went the distance, with her taking the win against Taylor Townsend and going down in the other to Jessica Pegula.
Despite clay not being her favored surface, Azarenka heads into this encounter as the favorite to go through based on her experience at the big stage. Her powerful baseline game will also give her a huge advantage against Maria's slow chip and charge game.
Pick: Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.
