World No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska is playing some of the best tennis of her career. The Pole has been close to unbeatable since the tail-end of last year, and is looking like a genuine contender to win her first ever Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
However, Eugenie Bouchard will pose a potentially dangerous second-round matchup. The Canadian phenom looks like she’s back to her best after a poor 2015, and will be eager to make another deep run Down Under.
Read on for our complete preview of this intriguing second-round showdown. Meanwhile, check out more Round of 64 previews on the men’s draw with Federer vs. Dolgopolov and Nishikori vs. Krajicek.
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Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Eugenie Bouchard Betting Preview
Agnieszka Radwanska took care of business as expected against World No. 65 Christina McHale. The World No. 4 disposed of the 23-year-old American with a 6-2, 6-3 win in 80 minutes. Radwanska capitalized on her break point opportunities – she converted 7-of-11 in the match – and had just 14 unforced errors compared to her opponent’s 28.
[sc:AUS15-250 ]Radwanska has been on a tear on hard court ever since her third-round exit at the US Open last year. She’s won three of her last five tournaments on the surface, and that’s not even including her indoor hard court win at the season-ending WTA Championships. She didn’t drop a single set on her way to winning her first tournament of the year in Shenzhen, China.
With Radwanska playing at the very top of her game, getting her at -450 should be considered very decent value. She’ll face a potentially tricky opponent in Eugenie Bouchard, but Radwanska won her only meeting to date with the Canadian. The Pole beat Bouchard in the clay courts of the Madrid Masters, 7-6(3), 6-2, back in 2014.
Eugenie Bouchard made pretty short work of her first-round opponent, World No. 117 Aleksandra Krunic. Bouchard won 77 percent of her first serve points and 65 percent of second serves as she sailed to a 6-3, 6-4 win over the Serb in just 66 minutes.
After a breakout 2014 which saw her reach the semifinal of the first three Grand Slams – including the Aussie Open – Bouchard fell well short of expectations in 2015. She finished the year with a disappointing 12-17 record and crashed out of the first round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Bouchard has started 2016 on a much more promising note, though. The World No. 37 is 7-2 to begin this season, a record which was aided by her run to the finals of the Hobart International.
Bouchard is playing with renewed confidence at the moment, which makes her a very interesting bet at +325 to spring a possible upset over a top-five seed. Bouchard has had the most Grand Slam success at Melbourne Park. She’s won nine of 11 career matches at the Australian Open.
Writer’s Prediction
Radwanska (-450) rolls to a straight-sets win over Bouchard.
