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Fixture: (14) Victoria Azarenka vs Sloane Stephens.
Tournament: Italian Open 2023.
Round: Second Round (Round of 64).
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Outdoor clay.
Prize money: €3,572,618.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Victoria Azarenka vs Sloane Stephens preview
Former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka will square off against 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the second round of the 2023 Italian Open.
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Azarenka's clay swing started at the Charleston Open, where she was knocked out by Anna Kalinskaya in the third round. At the Madrid Open, she suffered a surprise second round exit at the hands of Alycia Parks. However, she went on to claim the doubles title alongside Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The duo defeated the American combine of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the final. It marked Azarenka's 10th doubles title. As one of the seeded players, she received a first-round bye at the Italian Open. The Belarusian is a former runner-up at the venue, losing the 2013 final to Serena Williams.
Following some underwhelming results, Stephens competed in a WTA 125 tournament in Saint-Malo last week. She ended up winning the title, her first at that level. The American was drawn against Nadia Podoroska in the first round of the Italian Open.
Stephens drew first blood in the opening set as she went up a break to lead 2-1. Podoroska broke back immediately to level the score. The duo remained steady on serve over the next few games, but the American got the upper hand eventually.
Stephens secured another break of serve in the ninth game to go 5-4 up. She served out the set with ease in the following game. The second set was quite one-sided, with the former US Open champion reeling off six consecutive games to win the match 6-4, 6-1.
Victoria Azarenka vs Sloane Stephens head-to-head
The two are familiar rivals, having faced off eight times prior to this. The head-to-head is currently tied at 4-4, with Azarenka winning their most recent encounter at the 2023 Charleston Open in three sets.
Victoria Azarenka vs Sloane Stephens odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Victoria Azarenka vs Sloane Stephens prediction
Stephens kicked off her challenge in Rome on a positive note with a comfortable win over Podoroska. Her serve made things quite easy for her as she won a massive 96% of her first serve points.
Azarenka snapped a four-match losing streak against Stephens by winning their most recent contest in Charleston last month. The American looked to be on course for another win over her, but the two-time Australian Open champion staged a comeback to win the match in three sets.
With contrasting styles of play, the two often bring out the best in each other. Their matches are often competitive, with plenty of push and pull. Stephens' record at the Italian Open isn't too stellar, having won just seven matches since her debut here in 2012.
It's a rather puzzling stat, as Stephens usually performs quite well at the French Open later on. Based on their recent results, this seems like a fairly balanced encounter. However, considering the American's past history in Rome, Azarenka will have a slight edge in this match-up.
Pick: Victoria Azarenka to win in three sets.
