We are down to the semi-finals of the Australian Open and it is the turn of the women to play their matches on Thursday, with both games coming in the night session on the Rod Laver Arena as we find out who will play in the first Grand Slam final of 2023 on Saturday.
This has been a tournament of shocks and surprises but despite that we are left with two Grand Slam champions, a leading light and a dark horse who is having the week of her life battling it out for the spots in the final.
Elena Rybakina vs Victoria Azarenka
The opening semi-final sees the current Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina taking on the twice former winner of this tournament in the form of Victoria Azarenka in what should be an excellent way to begin the evening.
Both these women have come through the draw nicely. They haven’t had it open up for them either as both had to take care of the leading light in their quarter. Rybakina made surprisingly short work of Iga Swiatek a couple of rounds ago and Jelena Ostapenko went in pretty emphatic fashion in the previous round. Azarenka has taken care of Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula this week so both women look to be in excellent form. Rybakina is looking for her second Grand Slam title in three and I think she is the favourite here but there is a love affair between Azarenka and Melbourne that is hard to ignore. If I had to put money on it I would side with a narrow Rybakina win but I’m not as sold on it as I would like to be and she is plenty short enough anyway so I’ll leave this opening semi-final alone.
Special Offer
OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH 888SPORT AND BET £10 TO GET £30 IN FREE BETS PLUS A £10 CASINO BONUS! PERFECT OFFER TO USE ON THIS TOURNAMENT! CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO JOIN. USE CODE 30F. NEW ACCOUNTS ONLY. 18+ T&Cs apply (See image for significant terms). Gamble Aware.
Magda Linette vs Aryna Sabalenka
The second semi-final sees two women who are two wins away from their first Grand Slam title going at it when Magda Linette looks to continue her fine form when she faces the player of the year so far in Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka opened up the year by winning the first event in Adelaide and she has now made it through to the semi-final here in Melbourne. She is on a run of nine straight wins and what is even more impressive is that she hasn’t dropped a set in any of those matches. Sabalenka is playing the tennis of her life at the minute but as ever with the powerful Belarusian the question is whether she can maintain her level or whether the error ridden game which tends to dog her late on in majors comes along. Linette will hope it is the latter but even if it isn’t she has shown this week that she is a worthy semi-finalist. It is worth noting that every opponent she has played has sent plenty of unforced errors her way but it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that Sabalenka does the game particularly when you consider that she made 35 of them in two relatively comfortable sets in her quarter final win over Donna Vekic.
I took Linette on in her quarter final against Karolina Pliskova but it was hard not to be impressed with her. She hit more winners than unforced errors and got better the longer the match went on. There were signs that the Sabalenka serve was beginning to creak at the edges against Vekic and that is often the signal for the rest of her games coming apart at the seams. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sabalenka finds a way here because it is what the class acts do but I fancy Linette to run her close, especially if gifts come her way in the same supply they were given to Vekic on Wednesday.
Tips
Back M.Linette (+4.5 games) to beat A.Sabalenka for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with William Hill
Back her here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2023
