Australian Open 2021: Bianca Andreescu vs Hsieh Su-Wei preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (8) Bianca Andreescu vs Hsieh Su-Wei
Date: 10 February 2021
Tournament: Australian Open 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: AUD $80 million
Match timing: 11 AM local time, 5:30 AM IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | India - Sony Six
Bianca Andreescu vs Hsieh Su-Wei preview
Bianca Andreescu made a triumphant return to tennis at the Australian Open after a 15-month long break. The 2019 US Open champion was nursing a knee injury and had chosen to give the 2020 season a miss, but she is now back to winning Grand Slam matches.
Andreescu took a tight opening-round match against Mihaela Buzarnescu on Monday. Up next for the Canadian is Hsieh Su-Wei, who herself came through a tough first-round encounter against Tsvetana Pironkova.
Hsieh has proven to be a tricky customer in the past, having caused regular upsets on the big stages. The Taiwanese has made a couple of deep runs in Melbourne and has troubled former champions Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber.
Hsieh enjoys playing on faster surfaces, where she can put her masterful redirecting skills to good use. She does not employ big groundstrokes to win points but is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the veterans during baseline rallies.
With her trick shots and potent frontcourt skills, Hsieh is always a formidable opponent on hardcourts.
Bianca Andreescu vs Hsieh Su-Wei head-to-head
Bianca Andreescu leads Hsieh Su-Wei in the head-to-head by a slender 1-0 margin. The youngster won the duo's only prior meeting, which came in the semifinals of the 2019 Auckland Open.
Bianca Andreescu vs Hsieh Su-Wei prediction
There were a lot of question marks around Bianca Andreescu's ability to return to top form immediately after the 15-month break. But her first-round win would have helped answer most of them.
The youngster, who has already built a reputation for being a great fighter, once again showed incredible temperament in her first round. Facing triple break points in the decider, she was able to come up with some of her best serving.
That sort of form does not bode well for Hsieh Su-Wei, who will definitely need to step out with positive intent. The Taiwanese will not want to indulge in a long-drawn-out battle against Andreescu, who thrives in such situations.
A lot will depend on Hsieh's ability to shorten the points and make in-roads into the Andreescu service games. She did get a taste of the big serving here in the first round against Pironkova, and will need to continue to come up with good returns.
A casual defensive stance will only give Andreescu time to settle in, and from that point on, things could get really difficult for the underdog.
Prediction: Bianca Andreescu to win in three sets.