Charleston Open: Azarenka vs Kalinskaya Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Charleston Open round of 16 match featuring Victoria Azarenka vs Anna Kalinskaya on Thursday, April 6, 2023.

Azarenka vs Kalinskaya Match Preview

Victoria Azarenka faces a tough assignment on paper when she squares off against Russia’s World No. 70 Anna Kalinskaya at the 2023 Charleston Open. Who will prevail?

Playing for the first time since 2010, Victoria Azarenka’s return to the Charleston Open commenced on a winning note. The Belarusian star defeated 2016 champion Sloane Stephens in a three-set humdinger and ensures she will be among the favorites this week. Azarenka improves to 12-7 for the season after a wobble on the hard courts of North America last month. Can she make it to the deep end in Charleston by beating Anna Kalinskaya?

Anna Kalinskaya, meanwhile, wasn’t expected to get to this stage at the Charleston Open. But she has scraped through with two solid and terrific wins against two of the WTA workhorses on the clay. First, she took out Anhelina Kalinina in straight sets and then outlasted Alize Cornet in a three-hour marathon on Tuesday. Will she have enough gas in the tank against the big-hitting Victoria Azarenka?

Azarenka vs Kalinskaya Prediction and Pick

Victoria Azarenka and Anna Kalinskaya have not played each other on the WTA Tour, with this round-of-16 match at the Charleston Open being their first meeting. It will be interesting to see whether Kalinskaya can match Azarenka’s work rate after playing in two energy-sapping matches in successive days. Azarenka very rarely throws in a stinker, so this will likely be a one-sided match.