Anett Kontaveit – A. Sasnovich (Wednesday 00.00)
This could be a real belter of a match as the two players seem completely at the same level. They have played each other seven times with Kontaveit leading 4-3 in the h2h. They have played on three different surfaces and they have beaten each other on all three surfaces. It is quite simply the small margins on the day that decides the outcome.
Kontaveit has the most to defend here as she reached the 4th round last year and since she has a small lead in the h2h one could also choose to side with her seeing that she is the outsider. It looks like a match-up where the value simply lies in siding with the underdog.
One could also choose to go for a long match. Of their last four encounters, three went the distance. Of those four matches, one was played in 2017 and three were played last year. Of Kontaveits last 15 matches at a Major, seven went to a third set.
1 point over 2.5 sets in Kontaveit v. Sasnovic at 2.43
20th seed Kontaveit claims victory with a 6-3 6-2 win over Sorribes Tormo #gamesetmatch #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/kjUdLNqKc6
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2019
M. Vondrousova – Petra Martic (Wednesday 00.00)
Vondrousova had a fantastic 2017 with no less than five titles to her name, but she suffered the consequences last year with a single semifinal all year and a 4th round at the US Open as her best result.
She won an easy match here in the 1st round, but so did Martic, who wiped the floor with Heather Watson. 6-2 6-1 the match ended whereby Martic got her tournament well underway. She has a 4th round from last year to defend.
They have played each other twice before, both on hard courts and both in 2018. Martic won both in straight sets. Incidentally, both matches had a tie break to offer if one has the guts to go for that on the live betting. I will stick with the Croatian here.
Astra Sharma – Maria Sakkari (Wednesday 02.00)
Sharma is an Australian player who has come through the qualies which makes it four wins in a row here. Hats off for that achievement but I still think the run ends here for the so far unproven world number 232.
Her four opponents along the way to this match was ranked number 109, 187, 135 and 158. In other words, she has yet to be tested in a way she will definitely be tested against Sakkari, ranked 43 in the world.
This is Sharma’s first Major whereas Sakkari has reached the 3rd round of all four Majors. In the 1st round this year Sakkari took down Ostapenko, seeded 26 in a match she won by six games to spare.
Of her last seven wins, six were with at least five games to spare. Sharma has never ever played an opponent ranked inside the top 50. There simply have to be quite a difference between the two players.
2 points Sakkari -4.5 games to win at 1.93
WHAT AN AMAZING STORY!
Aussie Astra Sharma is 23 years old. She's never played in a Grand Slam before. And she just defeated Russia's Irina Khromacheva in three sets, 12-10 in the third set tiebreak to book her spot in the Australian Open.@astrasharma #AusOpen #9WWOS #Tennis pic.twitter.com/BSXvaBnZ7u
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 11, 2019
Johanna Larsson – Caroline Wozniacki (Wednesday 03.15)
Wozniacki won her 1st round by five games to spare and I am not sure she will win by more than that tonight. Last year she was in a world of trouble against Jana Fett at this stage. Have you heard of Fett since?!
She should win the match, Larsson has a mediocre record at Majors, never going past the 2nd round here in Melbourne and she has been trying for a decade now.
That does not mean it will be a big win though. Last year Larsson took a set off Venus Williams at Wimbledon before going down in three. At the US Open, she took a set off Angelique Kerber, before going down in three.
Of her last 10 matches at a Major, only the aforementioned against Venus was lost by more than six games.
1 point Larsson +6.5 games to win at 1.75
Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki had to work for it, but the world No. 3 is into the second round of the #AusOpen. She beat Alison Van Uytvanck, 6-3, 6-4. pic.twitter.com/gleuoNk7OP
— TENNIS.com (@Tennis) January 14, 2019
Best bets:
1 point over 2.5 sets in Kontaveit v. Sasnovic at 2.43
1 point Martic to win at 1.79
2 points Sakkari -4.5 games to win at 1.93
1 point Larsson +6.5 games to win at 1.75
