Tamara Zidansek vs Heather Watson Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 19/01/2022, 08:45  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 19/01/2022 at 11:17 in Tennis Predictions

Tamara Zidansek bids to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for only the second time. The world number 29 takes on British player Heather Watson, who is ranked 65 places below her. The only time Zidansek has got past the second round of a Grand Slam, she made it all the way to the 2021 French Open semi-finals. This is her fourth appearance in the main draw of the Australian Open with two second rounds and a first round exit last year. 2021 was a big year for Zidansek as this time last year, she was only ranked 88th and dropped as low as 97th before ending the calendar year in 30th place. Highlights aside from her French Open semi-final were winning a clay court tournament in Lausanne after previously losing a final on clay in Bogota. 2022 has started well for her with a run to the semi-final in Adelaide. She'd beaten Watson in three sets (first set lost) but withdrew before her last four match against Alison Riske. The first round of this event saw Zidansek come from behind to beat Arantxa Rus.

Heather Watson is the British number two but had dropped 22 places in the rankings since the start of the year to 94th. Watson was ranked 58th this time last year but has never been higher than 38th. The 29-year-old has been playing Grand Slam events since 2010 but has never made it past the third round of one. Her last third round appearance was in 2017 at Wimbledon and it's unlikely another one is on its way in this tournament. Three of her last five appearances in the Australian Open have ended with a second round defeat. Her only time in the third round here was way back in 2013. This year has so far seen Watson lose in the first round in both of the two tournaments held in Adelaide, the latter to Zidansek. Two qualifying matches had to be won to get into the main draw of the second Adelaide event. In the first round of this tournament, Watson beat Mayar Sheriff in three sets, dropping the middle one. That will have given her some confidence but it's Zidansek who can get the win here.