Cincinnati 2021: Ashleigh Barty vs Victoria Azarenka preview, head-to-head & prediction | Western & Southern Open
Match details
Fixture: (1) Ashleigh Barty vs (14) Victoria Azarenka
Date: 19 August 2021
Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2021
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
Venue: Cincinnati, United States
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $1,835,490
Match timing: Not before 1 pm local time, 5 pm GMT, 10.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Ashleigh Barty vs Victoria Azarenka preview
Top seed Ashleigh Barty will face defending champion Victoria Azarenka in a blockbuster third-round matchup at the 2021 Western & Southern Open on Thursday.
After an upset in the opening round at the Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty reverted to winning form on Wednesday. She opened her American hard-court season with a 6-4 7-6(3) win over Britain's Heather Watson.
Barty had some trouble with her second serve, making seven double faults in the match. But her ground game was on point as it helped her win 41.5% of the points on return.
Barty's first serve was impressive as usual; when it hit the mark, the Aussie registered a remarkable 84% success rate.
Victoria Azarenka, meanwhile, came out on top in a topsy-turvy second set after sailing through the first for a 6-2, 7-5 win over America's Alison Riske. Riske had the opportunity to level the match as she served for the second set at 5-4, but the two-time champion broke back and then broke once again in the next game to complete a straight-sets win.
Azarenka's superior return game was once again on display in the match; the two-time Slam champion won an incredible 51% of her receiving points.
Azarenka has had a sub-par 2021 so far, but this time last year she was in the middle of a purple patch. The 2020 US Open finalist will hope that her fortunes turn around once again during the American hardcourt swing.
Ashleigh Barty vs Victoria Azarenka head-to-head
Ashleigh Barty and Victoria Azarenka have faced off twice on the WTA tour and once in the Fed Cup, with Barty leading their overall head-to-head 2-1.
Their most recent meeting was at the Miami Open earlier this year, in a match that saw multiple shifts in momentum. Barty eventually came out on top in three sets, en route to winning the title.
Ashleigh Barty vs Victoria Azarenka prediction
Ashleigh Barty is, as her No. 1 ranking suggests, the best player in the women's game at the moment. The 25-year-old has had big success on all three surfaces this year, a feat that none of her peers can boast of.
Barty has a crafty playing style and is one of the most effective kick-servers on tour, despite standing a mere 166 centimeters tall. Victoria Azarenka, on the other hand, bases her game around her return, one of the best ever in women's tennis.
Barty likes to take control of the rallies with her forehand, while Azarenka's main groundstroke weapon is her imposing and penetrative backhand. If both players play to their full potential, this promises to be a thrilling encounter between two multiple Major winners.
Barty is the favorite on paper, but we expect Azarenka to upset the top seed by virtue of her hardcourt prowess.
Prediction: Victoria Azarenka to win in straight sets.