Australian Open 2024: Caroline Wozniacki vs Magda Linette preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (20) Magda Linette vs [WC] Caroline Wozniacki

Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024

Tournament: Australian Open 2024

Round: First Round (Round of 128)

Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hard

Prize money: $39,264,000

Live telecast: USA - ESPN, Tennis Channel | Australia - Nine Network, Stan Sport | India and Indian Subcontinent - Sony Sports Network

Caroline Wozniacki vs Magda Linette preview

Caroline Wozniacki hits a forehand at the 2023 US Open.

Former champion Caroline Wozniacki takes on 20th seed Magda Linette in the first round of the Australian Open 2024 on Sunday (January 14).

Last year, Caroline Wozniacki made a surprise run to the fourth round of the US Open after a three-year break. The former World No. 1 will be keen on replicating the same form in Melbourne when she takes on last year's semifinalist Magda Linette.

Wozniacki had retired in 2020 due to continued struggles with rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune disease. The Dane trained regularly during her time away from pro tennis though, which helped her greatly during her comeback.

The 33-year-old beat top-quality opponents like Petra Kvitova and Jennifer Brady in New York before losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff in three sets.

Wozniacki then didn't play a match after her Flushing Meadows campaign until last week's ASB Classic, where she was beaten in straight sets by Elina Svitolina. She has received a wild card for the main draw in Melbourne, since her ranking of 252 wasn't eligible for direct entry.

Magda Linette, meanwhile, had a mediocre season on the WTA Tour in 2023. The Pole compiled a 27-27 win-loss record; while she punched above her weight to reach the semifinals in Melbourne, she couldn't follow them up with good showings later in the year.

The 20th seed's form has been terrible of late. She has lost the last nine of her 10 matches on the pro tour, with her most recent loss against Ekaterina Alexandrova in Adelaide being her worst. She had led the Russian by a set and held four match points, before suffering a 6-3, 6-7(8), 5-7 defeat in two hours and 45 minutes.

Caroline Wozniacki vs Magda Linette head-to-head

Wozniacki leads Linette by a margin of 2-0 in their head-to-head meetings. The Dane has not dropped a set in her rivalry with the Pole, beating her convincingly at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open and the 2016 Tokyo Open.

Caroline Wozniacki vs Magda Linette odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (Over/Under)
Caroline Wozniack	-200	-1.5 (+115)	Over 21.5 (-115)
Magda Linette	+155	+1.5 (-160)	Under 21.5 (-120)

All odds are sourced from BETMGM.

Caroline Wozniacki vs Magda Linette prediction

Magda Linette hits a forehand

Caroline Wozniacki has the endurance of a marathon runner, which makes up for her relatively underpowered groundstrokes. The 33-year-old's flat backhand was a sight to behold during her prime. Although she is conservative in her shotmaking, she is adept at opening up the court with her down-the-line backhand.

For what it's worth, Linette is a bit more aggressive than Wozniacki. The Pole also possesses one of the best slices on the WTA Tour; her slice dips quite low after crossing the net, forcing her opponents to step up in the no man's land to retrieve the ball.

Having said that, the 20th seed has not been in great form lately. Wozniacki, on the other hand, is well-rested and has far more experience at winning matches at the Majors than her Polish opponent. In that regard, it will be very tough for Linette to come away with the victory.

Pick: Wozniacki in three sets.