Australian Open 2024: Sloane Stephens vs Anna Kalinskaya preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Sloane Stephens vs Anna Kalinskaya
Date: January 20, 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
Sloane Stephens vs Anna Kalinskaya preview
2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens will square off against Anna Kalinskaya in the third round of the 2024 Australian Open on Saturday.
Stephens bested home favorite Olivia Gadecki in the opening round to notch up her first win in Melbourne since 2019. She then faced 14th seed Daria Kasatkina for a spot in the third round.
Stephens was off to a slow start as an early break in the first set put her on the backfoot. She was unable to make up for the deficit and lost the set. The American fended off four break points at the start of the second set, which proved to be crucial.
Stephens then broke Kasatkina's serve to surge ahead and kept her opponent at bay to capture the set. The American secured a double break lead to go 5-2 up in the decider and then served for the set, but got broken. However, she broke back immediately in the next game for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback win.
Kalinskaya defeated Katie Volynets in three sets to make it to the second round, where she faced Arantxa Rus. The Russian cruised through the first set, which she clinched for the loss of just one game.
Kalinskaya led by a break twice in the second set, and even held a match point on her own serve at 5-4, but Rus dug deep to remain on even terms with her. But the Russian was not to be denied and snagged one final break of serve for a 6-1, 7-5 victory.
Sloane Stephens vs Anna Kalinskaya head-to-head
The two have split their prior couple of matches evenly to tie the head-to-head at 1-1. Stephens won their previous encounter at the 2022 Guadalajara Open after Kalinskaya's mid-match retirement.
Sloane Stephens vs Anna Kalinskaya odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Sloane Stephens vs Anna Kalinskaya prediction
Stephens' fightback against Kasatkina has helped her score her best result in Melbourne since 2019. As for Kalinskaya, she has made it to the third round of a Major for the first time in her career.
Kalinskaya's injury-plagued career seems to be flourishing at last, as she has managed to stay relatively healthy for an extended period of time. She's an excellent shotmaker with a strong serve.
Stephens' serve, on the other hand, has deteriorated over the last couple of years. It's a bit slower than it used to be, so if the placement isn't perfect, she's off to a bad start on her own service games. But she makes up for it with her court coverage, which gives her a chance to gain the upper hand once again.
Stephens as a former Major champion is the favorite on paper. She's also a former Australian Open semifinalist, but she has been quite inconsistent of late. If she finds a way to raise her level even more, the American has a shot at continuing her journey Down Under.
Pick: Sloane Stephens to win in three sets.