Australian Open 2023: Victoria Azarenka, dreaming of a 3rd title, will face third seed Jessica Pegula

After doing so consecutively in 2012 and 2013, Victoria Azarenka was the one participant within the girls’s draw this 12 months to have beforehand gained the Australian Open. He has an opportunity to win his third title in Melbourne.

The Belarusian noticed a gap to present himself an opportunity and accepted. A grueling 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over dangerous-looking Chinese Zhu Li, which lasted virtually three hours and began late on Sunday, could have given her the shape to launch an surprising title cost. I’ve performed ,

Azarenka’s familiarity with the situations and previous success could elevate expectations, however she is not getting forward of herself. “I created historical past (on the Australian Open). For me my title will all the time be on the wall. “But I do not actually look again and take into consideration what I’ve carried out. I actually attempt to make new reminiscences.

The 33-year-old has good purpose to not let himself be swayed by the opposition forward. Her subsequent opponent, third seed Jessica Pegula, is the highest-ranked participant remaining within the girls’s draw, and she’s going to look to do higher than the three main quarterfinals she reached final 12 months. Pegula is on an eight-match profitable streak, every of them coming in Australia with out dropping a single set.

Despite not being an outright weapon, the Pegula’s consistency is its specialty. The 28-year-old is snug from the baseline with sharp, clear groundstrokes that recurrently paint strains for winners, and pairs that with a stable work ethic and athleticism.

Jessica Pegula of the United States serves for Iga Swiatek of Poland throughout their semifinal match on the United Cup tennis occasion on Friday, January 6, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

On prime of Pegula’s good kind, the scheduling of the match might tilt the scales barely in his favour. The quarterfinals will happen within the night’s prime-time session at Rod Laver Arena – the organizers noticed the matchup’s potential by pitting it within the quarterfinals of crowd-favourite Stefanos Tsitsipas in opposition to Jiri Lehka.

Azarenka hits her groundstrokes with tempo and spin, on the lookout for depth to push her opponent behind the baseline earlier than ending off factors with extra superior courtroom positioning whereas remaining snug on the web.

In colder night time situations, this isn’t as a lot of a risk, as bounce velocity on the courtroom will increase and flatter shotmakers like Pegula come to the help. The American can be adept at redirecting momentum on quick surfaces, explaining her good kind in Australia this time and up to now, having reached the quarter-finals in every of the previous two years.

Pegula could have the shape and the situations, however Azarenka has the expertise. Monday’s win was Belarus’ forty sixth predominant draw win in Melbourne, ending one level behind Steffi Graf and equaling three-time champion Martina Navratilova’s document. Pegula, after spending most of her profession in lower-tier ITF tournaments, is ready for a primary Grand Slam semifinal.

The contrasting playstyles and conflict of forces make the encounter an intriguing one, however it’s not with out story both.

Despite reaching the ultimate of the US Open as just lately as 2020, Azarenka is considered one of many forgotten former Major champions who’re discovering their kind once more. Pegula, reaching the height of his profession, was one of many pre-tournament favourites, anticipated to make the transfer to drive his method as much as the game’s elite. Either method, it ought to make for a tense, entertaining matchup.