Donna Vekić vs Linda Fruhvirtova Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 21/01/2023, 10:27  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 21/01/2023 at 11:28 in Tennis Predictions

We're guaranteed an unseeded player in the last eight of the 2023 Australian Open. Donna Vekic faces Linda Fruhvirtova with the winner up against either Aryna Sabalenka or Belinda Bencic in the quarter finals. Fruhvirtova is playing in her first ever Australian Open and it's only her second time in the main round of a Grand Slam tournament. Her only other appearance was in last year's US Open when the Czech reached the second round, losing to Garbine Muguruza. The 17-year-old began this week ranked 82nd in the world but is up to 51st and a win here will see her go above her opponent into 43rd place. Only 11 months ago the teenager was ranked 307th. Fruhvirtova started this tournament still waiting to win her first match of the year. Her only tournament in 2023 had been in Auckland where she lost to Emma Raducanu in three sets. Fruhvirtova has shown last year that when on form she can go deep in tournaments. That was seen when winning the Chennai Open last October. Only nine games were lost in her first two straight sets wins in this tournament. The third round saw her have to go to a final set to get past Marketa Vondrousova.

Donna Vekic is also making strides up the ranking list. Her run to the fourth round has seen her ranking of 64th go up to 43rd in the live rankings and making the quarter final can see rise to 33rd place. The Croatian has only ever played in one Grand Slam quarter final and that was at the 2019 US Open that led to a career high ranking of 19th. Before this tournament, Vekic had only won two matches in her last seven Grand Slam tournaments. Some good form has previously been shown in the Australian Open with a fourth round appearance two years ago. There were signs of improved form from Vekic in the second half of last year. She made it to the final of the San Diego Open in October beating Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari before losing a three set title decider to Iga Swiatek. This year has started well too with three wins for her in the United Cup The first round of the Australian Open saw her have to go to three sets to defeat qualifier Oksana Selekhmeteva. It's gone better since then with straight sets wins over 18th seeded Liudmila Samsonova (only losing three games) and Nuria Parrizas Dias. A win over Fruhvirtova looks the most likely result.