Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Australian Open match.
Madison Keys has had a strong start to the year, winning the tournament in Adelaide and reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals. The American is in fine form, yet her inconsistency in recent matches raises some concerns. Elina Svitolina is making a comeback after a break and has already proven she can compete with the top players.
Madison Keys
Keys is delivering exceptional results on hard courts, winning nine consecutive matches. She started her Australian Open campaign with a victory over Ann Li (6:4, 7:5), followed by triumphs against Elena-Gabriela Ruse (7:6, 2:6, 7:5) and Danielle Collins (6:4, 6:4). However, her recent match against Elena Rybakina (6:3, 1:6, 6:3) exposed some flaws in Madison's play: she committed 31 unforced errors and lost her serve four times, despite ultimately winning. The American has only twice covered the handicap of -3.5 in games at Melbourne, and doing so in the later stages will be tougher.
Elina Svitolina
Svitolina is returning to top form after her break. The Ukrainian started the tournament with confidence, defeating Sorana Cirstea (6:4, 6:4), Caroline Dolehide (6:1, 6:4), and Jasmine Paolini (2:6, 6:4, 6:0). In the round of 16, she overcame Veronika Kudermetova (6:4, 6:1) after trailing 1:4 in the first set. Throughout the match, Elina hit five aces, converted five break points, and dropped only one service game. She has been successful against American players, securing at least one set in seven of eight encounters.
Madison Keys vs Elina Svitolina Prediction
Keys is the favourite due to her aggressive play and powerful serve, but her inconsistency throughout the tournament gives Svitolina a chance. The Ukrainian displays high efficiency on return, which could be a decisive factor. In head-to-head Grand Slam meetings, Elina has beaten Keys twice (2:0; 2:1) and is capable of mounting a challenge again this time. Therefore, we'll bet on a win for Svitolina with a handicap.
