Australian Open 2024: Amanda Anisimova vs Paula Badosa preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (PR) Amanda Anisimova vs Paula Badosa
Date: January 19, 2024
Tournament: Australian Open 2024
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard (Outdoor)
Prize Money: A$86,500,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Sports & Sony Liv | Canada - TSN & RDS
Amanda Anisimova vs Paula Badosa preview
Amanda Anisimova and Paula Badosa have set up an exciting third round showdown at the 2024 Australian Open on Friday.
Anisimova knocked out 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova in her opener to book a second round date against Nadia Podoroska. The American secured a 4-0 headstart in the first set, but her lead was cut short after her opponent nabbed the next two games.
Anisimova put an end to Podoroska's attempt at a fightback by bagging the next couple of games to take the set. The second set featured five consecutive breaks of serve, with the American coming out on top to go 5-3 up. She served out the match in the following game for a 6-2, 6-3 win.
Badosa, meanwhile, dispatched Taylor Townsend in straight sets to reach the second round, where Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova awaited her. The Spaniard broke her opponent's serve twice to jump ahead 5-1 in the first set.
While Badosa faced a couple of break points while serving out the set, she fended them off to take a one-set lead. The second set played out in a similar manner, as she broke Pavlyuchenkova's serve twice yet again to score a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Amanda Anisimova vs Paula Badosa head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Amanda Anisimova vs Paula Badosa odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Amanda Anisimova vs Paula Badosa prediction
Both are on the comeback trail at the moment, so they'll be quite pleased with their run in Melbourne for now. Anisimova's serve, which is usually quite the weapon, didn't find its mark that often in the previous round. She threw in six double faults and won 59% of her first serve points.
Badosa in comparison had better stats in the previous round, as she won 83% of points on the back of her first serve. She also hit more winners than unforced errors, which wasn't the case with Anisimova.
The two have made it to the fourth round here before, so it's not uncharted territory for them. Anisimova will be relishing the opportunity to reach that stage once again, as she's likely to meet Aryna Sabalenka there. The American leads their head-to-head 4-1.
But Anisimova will need to get past Badosa before that. The latter's game is a pretty decent mix of offense and defense, unlike her opponent's, who is partial towards a more aggressive approach. The Spaniard's level has been a tad bit higher the American's so far, and as such is likely to have an edge in this encounter.
Pick: Paula Badosa to win in three sets.