Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens – First Round – Preview & Prediction | 2023 Australian Open
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THE FACTS
When is Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens on and what time does it start? Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens will take place on Tuesday 17th January, 2023 – not before 00:00 (UK)
Where is Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens taking place? Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens will take place at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia
What surface is Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens being played on? Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens
What channel is Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens on in the UK? Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens will be televised live on Eurosport
Where can I stream Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens in the UK? Eurosport subscribers can stream Garbine Muguruza vs Elise Mertens live on their website, while Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match live on Sky Go
THE LOWDOWN
This time last season Garbine Muguruza was the WTA Finals champion and third seed at the Australian Open with all the hallmarks of a successful year ahead of her but the former world number one won just 11 matches in 2022. Back-to-back defeats in Adelaide over the last two weeks suggest the Spaniard is no closer to finding her way back to form but she remains a fearsome name in tennis and, surely, she should be able to bounce back sooner rather than later. Muguruza won her two Grand Slam titles in successive seasons at Roland-Garros in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017 but she finished runner-up to Sofia Kenin here as recently as 2020 and she has made it to at least the quarter-finals in eight Grand Slam campaigns.
THE PREDICTION
Given Muguruza’s form this looks like a reasonably winnable fixture for world number 27 Elise Mertens but the Belgian has started 2023 poorly herself. The former world number 12 won her first United Cup match in three sets against Bulgaria’s Gergana Topalova but she has lost her last two against Maria Sakkari and to fellow Belgian Maryna Zanevska this week in Hobart.
