French Open 2023: Victoria Azarenka vs Bianca Andreescu preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Roland Garros
Match Details
Fixture: (18) Victoria Azarenka vs Bianca Andreescu
Tournament: French Open 2023
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €49,600,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel, NBC Sports, Peacock TV | Canada - TSN | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Ten
Victoria Azarenka vs Bianca Andreescu preview
Former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka will lock horns with 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the first round of the 2023 French Open.
Azarenka's campaign at the Charleston Open came to an end in the third round at the hands of Anna Kalinskaya. She was upset by Alycia Parks in the second round of the Madrid Open, but clinched the doubles title with Beatriz Haddad Maia by defeating Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the final.
Azarenka then started her Italian Open challenge by ousting Sloane Stephens in the second round. Unfortunately, an injury forced her to withdraw from the tournament after that.
Meanwhile, following an injury sustained during the Miami Open in March, Andreescu returned to action at the Madrid Open. Up against Wang Xiyu in the second round, she clinched the first set and led 3-0 in the second, but let the match slip out of her hands to ultimately suffer a three-set defeat.
Andreescu's fortunes did not improve at the Italian Open either. She faced 2019 French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova in her opener and was handed a 6-0, 6-1 beatdown by the Czech.
Victoria Azarenka vs Bianca Andreescu head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Victoria Azarenka vs Bianca Andreescu odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Victoria Azarenka vs Bianca Andreescu prediction
Azarenka had a resurgence at the Australian Open earlier this year, where she made it to the semifinals. She'll be eager to channel the same determination for another memorable run in Paris.
Azarenka has transformed into more of a defensive player these days, a far cry from when she used to be more proactive on the court. Andreescu, on the other hand, has made a name for herself by relying on her variety and craftiness, but that aspect of her game has changed considerably.
Andreescu is yet to win a match on clay this year. Her record at the French Open isn't too stellar either, with just two wins to her name so far. Her loss against Vondrousova in Rome was a new low for her. The Canadian will be looking to bounce back and end her clay season on a positive note.
While her results in singles haven't been too promising, Azarenka has performed better than Andreescu over the last few weeks. The Belarusian will be expected to come out on top in this encounter.
Pick: Victoria Azarenka to win in three sets.