2021 US Open First Round – Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova taking place? Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, USA
When is Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova on and what time does it start? Monday 30th August, 2021 – not before 21:15 (UK)
What surface is Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova being played on? Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova
What channel is Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova on in the UK? Amazon have exclusive rights to show the 2021 US Open in the UK so it is worth checking the Amazon Prime Video app on smart TVs for Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova
Where can I stream Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova in the UK? Amazon Prime subscribers may be able to stream Victoria Azarenka vs Tereza Martincova live via their platform
THE LOWDOWN
VICTORIA AZARENKA
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is always a threat to any tournament she enters but is at her best on a hard court. The 31-year-old has finished runner-up at the US Open on three previous occasions, losing to Serena Williams in 2012 and 2013 and more recently Naomi Osaka in 2019. The Belarussian has 21 WTA titles to her name, although last season’s Cincinnati Open is her only one since 2016.
TEREZA MARTINCOVA
26-year-old Tereza Martincova has enjoyed an excellent summer on tour and she enters just her seventh Grand Slam ever at a career-high WTA world ranking of 60th. The Czech reached her first WTA final in July, losing on home soil to fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets, and also reached two quarter-finals on the grass swing in Nottingham and Birmingham. Martincova was forced to retire from her last match on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Chicago Women’s Open and it remains to be seen how bad that injury might be.
THE PREDICTION
Victoria Azarenka has underperformed this season by her loftiest of standards but she is back where she belongs on the biggest hard court stage where she will be hoping to go one better this year. The 32-year-old finished runner-up to Naomi Osaka in three sets after ousting Serena Williams in the semi-finals and if the former world number one can find her best form here there are fewer women capable of challenging her this time around. Tereza Martincova will do well to go on the offensive early here if she is to get anything from this first meeting and the Czech has impressed this summer. However, the gulf in class should tell eventually. Take Azarenka to win outright, with Martincova capable of forcing a decider.
