Australian Open 2024: Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (8) Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino

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

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Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino preview

Team Greece's Sakkari celebrates at the 2024 United Cup

Eighth-seed Maria Sakkari will face Japan's Nao Hibino for a place in the second round of the 2024 Australian Open.

Sakkari's prospects to win a big title had been in a rut for quite some time until last year. The Greek finally won her first WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara and she hasn't looked back since.

While the 28-year-old suffered a 0-3 blowout at the year-end championships in Cancun, she has bounced back well this year as she went 3-0 in her United Cup singles matches.

Nao Hibino, meanwhile, has been struggling with her form since winning a third-career title in Prague. The 29-year-old has dropped 10 of her last 17 matches on the women's tour.

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Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino head-to-head

The two players have never met on the WTA Tour, so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.

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Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (Over/Under)
Maria Sakkari
Nao Hibino

The odds will be updated when they are released.

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Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino prediction

Nao Hibino hits a forehand.

Sakkari has one of the best work ethics on the women's tour. The Greek has solid groundstrokes from both wings and also possesses a dependable serve. The world No. 8's biggest strength is her forehand return, which she charges with a lot of pace and aggressive intent.

Having said that, Sakkari's all-round game has failed to have a large impact since her shot selection on crucial points is subpar.

Hibino, meanwhile, is more aggressive than her Greek opponent. The 29-year-old likes opening up the court with her down-the-line backhand. The Japanese's low-margin game can surprise opponents, but she also tends to struggle with her consistency.

Sakkari has struggled against lower-ranked opponents in the past. The 28-year-old tends to choose the wrong plays when she is under pressure. However, considering her form last week, she will likely beat her older opponent if she remains focussed and stays true to her game.

Pick: Sakkari in two sets.