Kamilla Rakhimova vs Victoria Azarenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Mérida

Prediction published on 10/09/2024, 06:16  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 10/09/2024 at 06:53 in Tennis Predictions

Third seed Victoria Azarenka faces unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova for a place in the hard court Guadalajara Open quarter-finals.  With no WTA Tour singles final reached since 2021, could this be the week for Azarenka? Here's our match prediction.

Azarenka is at 19th in the latest rankings and a place higher in the WTA Live Race. The 35-year-old received a bye into the second round of this WTA 500 tournament. Winning this will take her into a quarter-final for the first time since Washington.

That saw her win two matches before losing in straight sets to Aryna Sabalenka. Since then, Azarenka has reached the last 16 in Toronto and the third round of the US Open. Injury had seen her off court for over a month, missing Wimbledon this year.

Earlier in the year, the Belarusian made it to two hard court semi-finals. Twice this year she's had wins over Jolena Ostapenko who is the top seed in this tournament.

Kamilla Rakhimova has already been in action once this week. The world number 89 defeated qualifier Aleksandra Kunic in the first round. It was a tight first set that was won 7-5 by Rakhimova but she won the second to love.

That win has taken her up to 78th in the live rankings, still 13 below her career-high. The 23-year-old lost to Iga Swiatek in the first round of the US Open. She'd previously lost in the qualifying rounds but was reinstated as a lucky loser.

Then she headed to Guadalajara and won the WTA 125 event held here last week. Rakhimova has achieved most success on clay this year. We tip Azarenka to win this match in straight sets.