Victoria Azarenka vs Hailey Baptiste

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Victoria Azarenka -434 / Hailey Baptiste +299 Click Here for the Latest Odds

Where to Watch: USA: Tennis Channel Plus, UK: Sky Tennis, Global: WTA TV

Victoria Azarenka will face Hailey Baptiste in the first round of the 2024 Citi Open in Washington. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Here's our Victoria Azarenka vs Hailey Baptiste prediction.

Victoria Azarenka vs Hailey Baptiste Preview

Victoria Azarenka will return to action for the first time in over a month at the 2024 Citi Open in Washington. The Belarusian former World No. 1 was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon at the 11th hour because of a shoulder injury and did not compete at the Olympic Games.

Azarenka's last match on the WTA Tour was on 22 June, when she lost to Anna Kalinskaya in the semifinal of the Berlin Open. Azarenka is one of the most accomplished women on hard courts, winning multiple Grand Slams and WTA 1000s, but she has never triumphed in Washington. Her best result was reaching the quarterfinal on her debut appearance in 2022.

Hailey Baptiste came through qualifying for the second straight year to advance into the main draw of the Citi Open in Washington. The 22-year-old is a native of Washington, D.C., and has played some of her best tennis at this tournament. Baptiste defeated compatriot Madison Keys on her debut as a 17-year-old in 2019.

Last year, she beat another former Grand Slam finalist in Karolina Pliskova, in a thrilling three-set match in the first round. She hasn't dropped a set from qualifying at the weekend, beating Taylah Preston and Arina Rodionova. Does she have another upset up on her sleeve?

Victoria Azarenka vs Hailey Baptiste Head-To-Head

• Azarenka leads Baptiste 1-0 in their head-to-head. They played at the 2021 Chicago Open, where the Belarusian won in three sets.

Victoria Azarenka vs Hailey Baptiste Prediction

It remains to be seen how fit and ready Azarenka will be in her first match since late June. Shoulder injuries can be quite tricky. And for a player of Azarenka's stature who relies heavily on her power, it could prove problematic. That being said, Baptiste has a great track record of pulling off an unlikely result at this tournament, beating the likes of Madison Keys, Peyton Stearns, and Karolina Pliskova at the Citi Open against the odds. She's also had a strong qualifying campaign. And against a potentially off-color Azarenka, we fancy the Washington native to bag a set at evens.