Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Australian Open match.
Both players have breezed into the third round without expending much effort. Despite their proximity in ranking, Rybakina remains the clear favourite.
Elena Rybakina
The draw for the first two rounds placed Rybakina against two of the most talented juniors at the moment. However, what can they offer against the Australian Open finalist and Wimbledon champion? Against Emerson Jones (6:1, 6:1) and Iva Jovic (6:0, 6:3), Elena Rybakina wrapped up both matches in just over two hours combined.
Dayana Yastremska
The Ukrainian overcame more experienced opponents with lower rankings, Mayar Sherif (6:1, 6:4) and Danka Kovinic (6:0, 6:1), in just under two hours. But what hope does she have against the sixth seed, when in preceding tournaments in Brisbane and Hobart, Dayana was defeated by lower-ranked opponents? Rybakina, on the other hand, has lost this year only to Iga Świątek.
Elena Rybakina vs Dayana Yastremska Prediction
Although Yastremska is the 32nd seed, Rybakina is expected to progress swiftly, despite having no previous encounters to reference.
