Australian Open 2nd Round Predictions: Osaka, Wawrinka, and Andreescu in action

The Australian Open 2021 continues to throw up enthralling encounters between the players. The second round has some blockbuster showdowns

1 - Bianca Andreescu vs Su-Wei Hsieh

Andreescu began her campaign in the tournament with a tough three-set win over Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu. 

The Canadian won 79% of her first-serve points. It was her first competitive match in 15 months. On the other hand, Hsieh was impressive in a straight-set victory over Tsvetana Pironkova. She claimed 71% of her first-serve points.

"I have played Hsieh before, so I know what to expect, it has been over a year and a half now, things have changed, but I feel pretty good considering my match today going up against her, I know it is not going to be easy, she is a pretty crafty player, so I think that's going to be a fun match," said Andreescu about her expectations ahead of the clash against Hsieh. The Canadian leads the head to head record 1-0 against Hsieh. Andreescu reached the second round in the 2019 Australian Open. Hsieh's best performance in Melbourne was a fourth-round finish in 2018.

Prediction - Bianca Andreescu to win in 3 sets

2 - Naomi Osaka vs Caroline Garcia

Osaka began her campaign in style vanquishing Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 6-2. The Japanese clinched 67% of her first-serve points and also converted 5 out of 7 breakpoints. Garcia had a straight-set win over Polona Hercog. The Frenchwoman smashed 8 aces and won 66% of her first-serve points.

This is the first meeting between Osaka and Garcia on the tour. The Japanese's main strengths are 85.7% of service games won and 75% of first-serve points won in 2020. 

Osaka was the champion in the 2019 edition of the tournament and has lost in the second round in Melbourne only once in 2017. Garcia reached the fourth round in 2018 and was defeated in the second round last year.

Prediction - Naomi Osaka to win in straight sets

3 - Reilly Opelka vs Taylor Fritz

Opelka had a comfortable straight-set win over Yen-Hsun Lu. The former junior Wimbledon champion hit 18 aces and clinched 85% of his first-serve points. 

Fritz overcame Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas in four sets. The American hit 11 aces and won 73% of his first-serve points. Fritz leads the head to head record 3-1 against Opelka. 

The 27th seeded Fritz reached the third round of the tournament in 2019 and 2020. Opelka crashed out in the first round in 2020.  The World number 40, Opelka is quite strong in the serve department having won 90% of his service games and smashed an average of 19 aces per match in 2020.  On the other hand, Fritz claimed 83.2% of his service games and won 49.7% of return points on his second serve last season. 

Prediction - Reilly Opelka to win in 5 sets

4 - Stan Wawrinka vs Marton Fucsovics

Wawrinka had a straight-forward 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory against Portugal's Pedro Sousa. The Swiss hit 7 aces and won 88% of points on his first serve. 

Fucsovics had to dig deep in his opener as he romped home to a five-set win against homeboy, Marc Polmans. He smashed 7 aces and claimed 69% of his first-serve points. 

Wawrinka leads the head to head record 3-1 against Fucsovics.

Stan Wawrinka will be appearing in his 16th consecutive second-round in the Australian Open. He lost in the quarterfinals last year to Alexander Zverev in four sets. The World number 55 Fucsovics reached the fourth round in the 2020 edition of the tournament. 

If Wawrinka clicks with his first serve, he will look unstoppable as the Swiss has won 84.9% of his service games and smashed 10 aces on an average in 2020. Fucsovics has claimed 50.7% of return points won on his second serve last year. 

Prediction - Stan Wawrinka to win in four sets

So get your popcorn and root for your favorite players, if you have any more must-watch matches in mind, do lets us know in the comments below.

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