In the second round of qualifying at the Australian Open, two players who comfortably cleared the opening hurdle will meet. Teodora Kostović and Marina Stakusic both started the campaign with straight-sets wins, but the level of opposition now rises sharply. For Kostović, hard courts are still an unfamiliar environment, whereas Stakusic plays some of the best tennis of her career on this surface.
Teodora Kostović
Kostović rarely plays on outdoor hard courts and has contested only eight matches on this surface in her career. The statistics also confirm her modest results: five defeats in her last eight matches on hard courts. In the first round, she comfortably got past Tereza Mrdeza (6:0, 6:3), but the Croatian was inferior in every department and never put her under pressure on serve. Against a faster, more aggressive and more powerful opponent, it will be extremely difficult for her.
Marina Stakusic
Stakusic, by contrast, looks as confident as possible on hard courts. She has won 10 of her last 12 matches on this surface and in most of them did not drop a set. In the opening round she dealt with Nuria Párrizas Díaz, winning 6:3, 6:2 and taking more than 60% of points on both first and second serve. Overall, the Canadian has played 111 matches on hard courts and has won 68 of them, far more experience than Teodora Kostović has on this surface.
Teodora Kostović vs Marina Stakusic Prediction
For all of Kostović's fighting spirit, she is likely to struggle against the more powerful and better organised Stakusic. She maintains a steady tempo, dominates behind her serve and plays without emotional swings. We expect a win for her in this match.
