Damien Kayat previews Victoria Azarenka vs Sloane Stephens and Ons Jabeur vs Lesia Tsurenko in the Selected Round of 32 matches of the Credit One Charleston Open, on 5th April 2023
2023 WTA Tour
WTA 500
Credit One Charleston Open
LTP – Daniel Island, Charleston, South Carolina (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Round of 32 Matches – 5th March
Victoria Azarenka (4/11) | Sloane Stephens (9/5)
This should be an intriguing clash between two Grand Slam champions. Victoria Azarenka has managed to get her career back together after years of off-court turmoil.
The former World No.1 hasn’t reached a WTA final since 2021. But she has managed to bring her best tennis to the biggest stages- thus ensuring her steady progress in the rankings.
She obviously had that brilliant run to the 2020 US Open final. She followed that up with a run to the 2021 Indian Wells final. She shone at this year’s Aussie Open, reaching the semi-final stage for the first time in a decade. She hasn’t really been able to replicate that type of form in smaller scale events.
Also, she arrives in South Carolina in pretty middling form. She is 4-4 since that exceptional semi-final run in Melbourne. This included a poor straight sets defeat to Muchova at Indian Wells. Though almost all of her success has come on hardcourts, Azarenka did reach three WTA 1000 final on clay.
She also reached the final four at Roland Garros in 2013 (at the peak of her powers). However, the Belarusian hardcourt specialist hasn’t reached a clay-court final since the 2013 Italian Open.
It’s crazy to think that Sloane Stephens is already 30 years of age. The former US Open champion just hasn’t lived up to the potential of her early years.
I think the general sentiment is that she has lacked the true work ethic needed to become a lasting champion. Still, the all-court player has reached the quarterfinal stage or better at all four Grand Slams.
She reached the final at Roland Garros in 2018. Crucially, she actually won the title here back in 2016. Sure, she doesn’t exactly come into this year’s event in brilliant form (she just suffered back-to-back opening defeats during the ‘Sunshine Double’).
But she did reach back-to-back quarterfinals in Mexico and Austin. Stephens is a mercurial talent who is hard to peg down. But she did reach the quarterfinals of last year’s French Open (once again highlighting her penchant for the sticky stuff).
She came from a set down in her first match against Chirico and will be looking to build on that momentum.
Verdict: Stephens to win in three at 9/2
These two actually have a storied rivalry, with Stephens leading the head-to-head 4-3. But they haven’t met on tour since the 2019 Madrid Open. The American actually lost her first three matches against Azarenka. But she stormed back to win their last four encounters.
This included their only ever clay-court meeting in Madrid. I have a feeling that the American could pull through here. Azarenka has struggled with the physical toll of clay in recent years. Stephens is a previous winner here and has more recent clay-court success.
Ons Jabeur 4/7 | Lesia Tsurenko 6/5
28-year-old Tunisian Ons Jabeur is fresh off a sensational 2022 campaign that saw her rise to number two in the world. Her year will be remembered for back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open (both of which she lost).
But the foundation of her season was surely built on her magnificent clay-court season. Only World No.1 Iga Swaitek played better on clay then Jabeur last year (minus a pretty shocking first-round exit at the French Open). She reached the final here (only to be beaten by Belinda Bencic).
She then beat Jessica Pegula to claim her maiden clay-court title in Madrid (also a maiden WTA 1000 title). She was then comprehensively beaten by Swiatek in the Italian open final. Things have not gone according to plan for the Tunisian in 2023.
She had to undergo surgery on her knee, forcing her to skip the entire Middle-East Swing. She returned to action for the ‘Sunshine Double’ and subsequently struggled in both events. She will be hoping that a return to clay can reinvigorate her form.
It would be slightly unfair to call 33-year-old Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko a journeywoman. She has four titles to her name and reached as high as 23 in the world.
But the current World No.95 has experienced a real downturn in form over the past three or four years. She crashed out of the top 100 at one point and seemed destined to ply her trade on lower circuits.
But she has mounted a little mini revival this season, reaching her first WTA final in four years at the Hua Hin Championships. She has been forced to withdraw from a number of events due to injury.
She also withdrew from Indian Wells prior to her meeting with Aryna Sabalenka, suffering a panic attack after hearing the WTA chief’s comments on Russian invasion. She just trounced Paula Ormaechea and may never have a better chance to take down a top 5 player again.
Verdict: Jabeur to win in three at 16/5
Tsurenko actually won their only previous encounter in straight sets at the 2018 Dubai Duty Free Championships. But that was when Tsurenko was more of a force and Jabeur hadn’t reached maturity. This should be an intriguing clash. Tsurenko will look to maneuverer Jabeur around the court in the light of her recent injury woes.
But I still think the Tunisian will have too much quality in the long haul. These slower surfaces will allow her to ease into points and adapt to the match.
