Australian Open 2023: Madison Keys vs Victoria Azarenka preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (10) Madison Keys vs (24) Victoria Azarenka.
Date: 20 January 2023.
Tournament: Australian Open 2023.
Round: Third round (Round of 32).
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Hard.
Prize Money: A$76,500,000.
Live telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Ten & Sony Liv.
Madison Keys vs Victoria Azarenka preview
World No. 13 Madison Keys will take on two-time Major champion Victoria Azarenka in the third round of the 2023 Australian Open on Friday.
A tough three-set victory over Anna Blinkova sent Keys into the second round, where Wang Xinyu awaited her. The American dropped serve in the very first game of the match, but claimed the next four games to lead 4-1. She held five set points on her opponent's serve at 5-2, but couldn't get the job done.
However, Keys served out the opening set with ease in the next game. She faced some trouble early on in the second set as she needed to save a couple of break points. It was smooth sailing for her after that as the 27-year old reeled off five consecutive games to win the match 6-3, 6-2.
Azarenka faced fellow Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, getting past her in two competitive sets. She was up against Nadia Podoroska in the second round.
Podoroska held serve to kick things off, but it all went downhill for her after that. Azarenka was at her ruthless best as she bagged the next 12 games to win the match 6-1, 6-0.
Madison Keys vs Victoria Azarenka head-to-head
Azarenka leads Keys 3-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Guadalajara Open in three sets.
Madison Keys vs Victoria Azarenka odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Madison Keys vs Victoria Azarenka prediction
Keys has been in great form this year, with her win over Wang in the second round being her seventh in a row. Her serving stats were much better compared to the first round, but still far from her usual standards. The American didn't go overboard with her shots and played with some caution.
Azarenka scored a commanding victory over Podoroska in the previous round as well. It marked her 150th win at the Grand Slams. While the Belarusian was completely in the zone, she was helped by her opponent who made countless errors.
Azarenka has managed to get the better of Keys every time they've met so far. She's able to counter the big-hitting American quite well. However, the former World No. 1 will need to add some depth to her groundstrokes, which often land quite inside the baseline these days.
Such shots against a player like Keys could spell doom for Azarenka. With both players being in good form at the moment, this is likely to be a competitive match. The Belarusian's record in Melbourne, where she's a two-time champion, coupled with her head-to-head against Keys, makes her the favorite to come out on top.
Pick: Victoria Azarenka to win in three sets.