2021 Indian Wells Masters Third Round – Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka on and what time does it start? Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka will take place on Monday 11th October, 2021 – not before 02:00 (UK)
Where is Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka taking place? Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka will take place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, USA
What surface is Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka being played on? Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka
What channel is Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka on? Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka will be televised on the Amazon Prime Video app on smart TVs
Where can I stream Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream Petra Kvitova vs Victoria Azarenka live via their platform
THE LOWDOWN
Two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka was in charge of her second round match with Magda Linette before the Poel was forced to retire from the second set. The 32-year-old has struggled to string good performances together for large parts of this season but she has still made five quarter-finals this season and beaten the likes of Maria Sakkari, Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina. It is almost ten years since she first became number one, with her last of 21 WTA titles coming at the Western & Southern Open last season. Furthermore, seven of those titles are WTA 1000 events, with two of them wins here at Indian Wells in 2012 and 2016.
31-year-old Petra Kvitova never made it to world number one but, not to be outdone, the former world number two is also a two-time Grand Slam champion, both coming at Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014. The current world number 11 has endured a tough season full of niggling injuries and she has already announced that Indian Wells will be her last tournament for 2021 so she can rest up ahead of next season. She still managed to win her 28th career title earlier this year at the Qatar Open. Kvitova eased past Arantxa Rus in the second round, conceding just four games.
THE PREDICTION
This is a mouth-watering clash between two multiple Grand Slam champions in Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka. The pair have met eight times before but oddly they have faced each other just twice since 2011, with Kvitova leading their head-to-head 5-3. The Czech star has won two of her titles by defeating Azarenka in the final of the 2011 Madrid Open and the WTA Championships in Istanbul later that year, as well as both of their meetings at Wimbledon. Azarenka won their first two meetings back in 2008 and 2009 as well as at the Canadian Open in 2015 to see their meetings on hardcourts level at 2-2 and the Belarussian is possibly in the better shape at this moment in time. Only two of their eight matches have seen more than two sets, so taking Azarenka to win at least one as the slightest of favourites to make it through here looks the shrewd move.
