Aryna Sabalenka was ruthless in her first-round match at the 2024 Australian Open, but will she have the heart to do that to 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova? Find out in the preview below.
Brenda Fruhvirtova is one of three 16-year-old players who found herself in the second round of the Australian Open. It's a pretty amazing achievement because it shows the bright future of women's tennis, which is already cemented with the likes of Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek.
But what damage can the teenager do against an in-form Sabalenka, who is looking as scary as ever? It's a very good question because another young talent, Ella Seidel, couldn't trouble her much.
The German was overpowered in the shortest Grand Slam match Sabalenka ever played, barely winning one game, and it was her last serving game in the match. That's a scary proposition for Fruhvirtova, but let's see if she can get it done.
Head-to-head:
As Fruhvirtova barely played on the WTA Tour, the two have obviously never met before. Much like her sister Linda, the Czech player has a pretty solid baseline play, but she lacks the power because she's just 16.
The lack of power will be a huge problem for her, especially against Sabalenka, who has an abundance of it. This matchup will largely depend on how consistent Sabalenka is.
In fairness, it's tough to see any situation where the Belarusian would lose this match, but it can happen. Anything is possible, and if Fruhvirtova can send many balls back, then Sabalenka will need to stay focused to avoid any kind of problem.
| Brenda Fruhvirtova | Aryna Sabalenka | |
| 0 | H2H | 0 |
| 105 | Rank | 2 |
| 16 | Age | 25 |
| 7-1 | 2024 W/L | 5-1 |
| 104/20 | Career W/L | 364/175 |
Prediction:
There are just very few things Fruhvirtova can do in this matchup. The match is on Sabalenka's racquet, and I expect her to do enough to win. She'll likely drop a few more games in this one, but not enough to lose the match.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka to win in two sets.
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