Sloane Stephens vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 18/01/2019, 17:01  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 18/01/2019 at 18:02 in Tennis Predictions

Fifth seeded Sloane Stephens has yet to drop a set in this year's Australian Open on her way to the last sixteen. It's a big improvement for her after failing to get past the first round in her last three visits down under. All a bit suprising after she'd reached the semi-final in 2013 and the fourth round the year after. Since her 2017 US Open triumph, Stephens went on to reach the final of the French Open last year and the quarters at the Us Open but her only title came at a hard court tournament held in Miami. Stephens may not have dropped a set yet but had a tough third round game as she had to go to two tie-breaks to get past number 31 seed Petra Martic.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is ranked 44th in the world but has managed to reach the quarter-final of each of the Grand Slams. Her highest ranking has been 11 but that was eight years ago and her progress to the fourth round here ends a run of seven Grand Slams in which she's failed to get past the second round. This is only the second time she's got past the third round at the Australian Open, having reached the last eight two years ago. She caused a surprise in the second round in this tournament knocking out ninth seed Kiki Bertens after dropping the first set.  Stephens has won both of her previous meetings against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and can make it three with a win here.