Phillip Island Trophy 2021: Bianca Andreescu vs Irina-Camelia Begu preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (2) Bianca Andreescu vs Irina-Camelia Begu

Date: 17 February 2021

Tournament: Phillip Island Trophy 2021

Round: Quarterfinal

Venue: Melbourne, Australia

Category: WTA 250

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $235,238

Match timing: Approx 2:45 PM local time, 9:15 AM IST

Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel

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Bianca Andreescu vs Irina-Camelia Begu preview

Bianca Andreescu has fought her way through to the quarterfinals of the 2021 Phillip Island Trophy, where she is set to take on Irina-Camelia Begu.

Andreescu has been made to work hard by her opponents this week, particularly by Madison Brengle in the second round. It took the Canadian lengthy sets to take care of her opponent.

She had it easier in her last match though, as her opponent had to retire after losing the first set.

Irina-Camelia Begu

Irina-Camelia Begu has also had to battle hard for the quarterfinal spot here this week. She managed to score straight sets wins in her opening two rounds, but had to dig deep to overcome Wang Qiang in the last-16.

The Romanian has had a good start to the year, with this being her second quarterfinal in three tournaments. Barring her first-round loss at the Australian Open, she has looked sharp in all of her matches.

Begu has a game that's well-suited to the quicker-than-usual Melbourne courts. She has a big serve and likes to be aggressive in the rallies, and Andreescu will be wary of the threat.

Bianca Andreescu vs Irina-Camelia Begu head-to-head

Bianca Andreescu will enter this contest as a huge favorite

Bianca Andreescu and Irina-Camelia Begu have played each other three times, and it's the youngster who leads the head-to-head 2-1. That said, all three of the meetings have been extremely tight three-set affairs.

Bianca Andreescu vs Irina-Camelia Begu prediction

Bianca Andreescu enters this contest as a huge favorite, given her status as a Grand Slam winner and a top 10 player. But in Irina-Camelia Begu, she faces an opponent who has troubled her in the past.

The Romanian should, in fact, be at an advantage given the present conditions in Melbourne. Her big serve and groundstrokes are likely to win her a lot of points, but the key will lie in her ability to maintain that aggressive intent throughout the match.

Andreescu will likely try to turn this into a physical battle, and the onus will be on her opponent to continue finding winners late into the match. But the Canadian has shown signs of vulnerability in her few matches since the return, and if Begu can find a way to keep her intensity up, an upset could be on the cards.

Prediction: Irina-Camelia Begu to win in two tight sets.